Certified Port Executive™ Program
Certified Port Executive™ Program

Five days. The whole port.

Operating since 2010, the CPE program covers the rapidly changing regulations and operations that affect seaports, marine terminals, vessels, and intermodal providers across the Americas and the Caribbean.

Program track record

“Operating since 2010 — ~1,000 alumni across 14+ countries lead port authorities, marine terminal operators, and government agencies across the Americas and the Caribbean.”

— CPE Program data, 2026

The right fit.

CPE is a senior credential. If your role touches a port — operations, commerce, security, or policy — this program was built for you.

Who this is for
  • Port Authorities

  • Marine Terminal Operators

  • Third-Party Logistics (3PLs)

  • Rail Companies

  • Vessel Operators

  • Government officials at the state, provincial, and federal level

  • Other relevant stakeholders

  • See the full curriculum →

The entire business of an operating port. In five days.

Five days, eighteen modules, organized from the foundations of the industry to the forces reshaping it over the next decade.

01
Day 01

The Port Industry

Establish the operating vocabulary and governance framework that every port professional needs — the global transport system, how ports are structured and owned, the language of the industry, and how marine terminals are classified and run.

  • M.01The Worldwide Transportation System
  • M.02The International Port Industry
  • M.03Language of the Industry
  • M.04Port Governance and Management
  • M.05The Marine Terminal
02
Day 02

Operations & Commerce

The physical port and the commercial reality behind it: how cargo moves from vessel to gate, how terminals are operated, how transportation is priced, and the legal framework governing every transaction.

  • M.01The Harbour and the Vessel Voyage
  • M.02Marine Terminal Operations
  • M.03Cargo Management
  • M.04Transportation Pricing
  • M.05Regulatory Requirements and Legal Issues
03
Day 03

Regulation & Business

The regulatory and commercial environment: tariff structures as implied contracts, safety and security obligations under MTSA/MTSR, and the marketing and business development disciplines that drive port competitiveness.

  • M.01Tariffs, Terminal Regulations and Operating Plans
  • M.02Safety, Security and Emergency Planning and Response
  • M.03Business Development, Marketing, and Commercial Operations
04
Day 04

Management & Administration

The executive disciplines: managing port infrastructure and real property, understanding port finance and labour as the largest cost driver, navigating public and media relations, and building the strategic and master plans that guide port development.

  • M.01Property, Facility and Infrastructure Management
  • M.02Administration and Finance
  • M.03Public and Media Relations
  • M.04Strategic and Master Planning
05
Day 05

The Next Decade

Industry trends, automation, and the climate-driven changes reshaping ports across the Americas and the Caribbean — followed by a practical exercise and evaluation, and the awarding of the Certified Port Executive™ certificate.

  • M.01Trends, Automation, AI, and Climate Change
  • M.02Practical Exercise and Evaluation
  • M.03Awarding of Certificates

What the CEU credits translate to.

CPE awards 3.5 Continuing Education Units (35 contact hours) on completion — structured learning recognized by accreditation bodies and organizational CPD programs.

Program completion

3.5 CEU credits — 35 hours of structured learning across 5 days, in line with accreditation body standards

Organizational CPD equivalency

Typically satisfies a two-year CPD obligation (2 days/year) in one intensive session — depending on your employer's CPD policy

Maritime sector recognition

Accepted by major port authorities across the Americas and Caribbean for executive-track promotion and professional development records

Continuing professional development

Documentation issued on completion — suitable for submission to professional licensing bodies and organizational HR/L&D systems

01

5

Intensive days

02

18

Core modules

03

~1k

Alumni since 2010

04

CEU

Accredited credit

Built for every professional who touches a seaport or marine terminal operation.

Participants are managers, directors, vice presidents, CEOs, harbour masters, terminal managers, security leaders, government officials, and supply-chain executives.

Port Authorities

Marine Terminal Operators

Third-Party Logistics (3PLs)

Rail Companies

Vessel Operators

Importers & Exporters

Intermodal Transport Companies

Dockyard, Navy & Military Personnel

Coast Guard Officials

Government Officials (State, Provincial, Federal)

Lawyers

Consulting Engineers

Meet the alumni network
01

Enhanced management skills

Real-world port and terminal knowledge applicable the Monday after you complete the program.

02

A global professional network

~1,000 alumni across 14+ countries — the cohort you train with becomes a career-long network.

03

CEU documentation

Continuing Education Unit credits issued on completion, suitable for professional licensing bodies and organizational CPD programs.

04

The Certified Port Executive™ certificate

Awarded on Day 5. Recognized across the Americas and the Caribbean.

Go deeper on the credential.

What is a Certified Port Executive?

The definitional industry primer — credential, curriculum, career path explained for anyone considering CPE.

Read the primer →

Port management career path

From entry roles to the CEO chair — how port careers actually progress, and where CPE fits at the mid-career transition.

Read the career guide →

Maritime certifications compared

How CPE compares to MTSA, PMP, harbour master licensing, and maritime MBAs — when each is the right fit.

Read the comparison →

Five days. The whole port.

Eight cohorts in 2026. Zoom and in-person. Same curriculum, same certificate, same network.