70
FOGHORN
AT THE HELM
Continued from page 7: Letter from the Executive Director
High‑Impact Programming 
Offering Real Solutions
As mentioned, MariTrends 2026 at-
tendees were treated to a rich lineup 
of education sessions featuring expert 
presenters and timely, thought-pro-
voking topics. More than 60 in‑depth 
seminars, workshops, and roundtables 
tailored to real operational challenges. 
The educational program works to 
strike an important balance by being 
forward‑looking enough to inspire 
and grounded enough to offer ideas 
that can be adopted immediately.
Purposeful Discussions and 
Passenger Vessel Operators Day
There has been a concerted effort 
to structure convention sessions 
to encourage active dialogue. PVA 
recognizes that knowledge sharing 
is an important part of the learning 
process and has taken steps to devel-
op programming which promotes 
interactive discussions and exchang-
es. Along these lines, a shining star 
of recent MariTrends conventions 
is Passenger Vessel Operators Day. 
This highly popular full-day event 
is specifically tailored to the inter-
ests of vessel operators (but we hope 
associate members will attend also). 
Passenger Vessel Operators Day of-
fers a captivating program planned 
with the understanding that PVA 
members learn best when they are 
learning from each other. Following 
this philosophy, Passenger Vessel Op-
erators Day emphasizes collaboration, 
open discussions, roundtables, and 
information-sharing formats. We will 
continue to build on the successes of 
this special program feature.  
From education sessions to the exhibit hall to social events, the evolving face of the industry is reflected in MariTrends attendees. 
Represented is the increased number of women and the next generation, both of whom are taking on leadership roles in 
companies, as well as the wider industry. In the bottom left photo, PVA members visited Washington, D.C. during the 2025 
PVA Congressional Fly-In. 
PHOTOS: SARAH FERRETTI

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