Regional associations representing port authorities and terminal operators are present in all five continents:
- Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA). Established in 1973, PMAESA is a non-profit, inter-governmental organization made up of port operators, government ministries, logistics and maritime service providers, and other port and shipping stakeholders from the Eastern, Western, and Southern African and the Indian Ocean regions.
- Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA). Established in 1972, PMAWCA associates ports located along the West Coast of Africa, including Mauritania and Angola. The 40 port members handle about 300 million tons of maritime import/export trade for the sub-region, excluding crude oil – which is a major market for many.
- American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). Established in 1912, AAPA represents 150 port authorities in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America. AAPA protects and advances the common interests of its diverse member organizations as they connect their communities with the global transportation system. Member ports vary in size, cargo and vessel types, operating structure, and geographic areas serviced. The association’s main goals are to advocate government policies that strengthen and expand opportunities for member ports, advance professionalism in port management and operations, promote information sharing and relationship-building opportunities for all members, and achieve a greater understanding of the essential role and economic and social value of ports.
- Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC). Established in 1988, PMAC fosters operational and financial efficiency and enhances the level of service to the mutual benefit of Caribbean ports and their stakeholders.
- ASEAN Port Association (APA). Established in 1974, APA provides to member ports in nine South-East Asian nations regional cooperation in development, operations, management, and promotion of interests. APA promotes and assists in the development and implementation of efficient operational methods, the exchange of data and information on shipping and cargo traffic, upgrade of port personnel skills and knowledge, coordination of port operations and management on an ASEAN basis; it has close relationships with organizations of shippers, shipowners, and inland transport agencies, as well as with other regional or national port associations or international port-related associations.
- European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO). Established in 1993 as an interests advocacy organization, ESPO has been a major contributor to EU port policy discussions and progressively expanded its role in knowledge, data, and best practices sharing between its membership. It represents the port authorities, associations, and administrations of the seaports of 22 member states of the EU and Norway at EU political level. ESPO also has observer members in Albania, Iceland, Israel, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
- Association of Australian Port and Marine Authorities (Ports Australia). Established in 1916, Ports Australia represents 28 ports that account for over 95% of Australia’s imports and exports, a long list of associate members who provide Australia’s ports with services, and also several international member ports from across the South Pacific Region. It was initially formed in 1916 as the ‘interstate harbour conference in Melbourne’ and officially changed its name in 2007.
In Europe, terminal operators have formed their regional association, the Federation of European Private Companies and Terminal Operators (FEPORT). Established in 1993 FEPORT represents the interests of a variety of terminal operators and stevedoring companies carrying out activities over 400 terminals in the seaports of the European Union. Inland ports are associated with the European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP).