By Anna Poustie, Director of Commercial & Engagement, SSA Marine Cruise Division
The maritime industry continues to evolve, and a strong, resilient future depends on giving the next generation a role in shaping it. A commitment to the people and communities who will drive it forward is at the heart of so much of what we do at SSA Marine.
For me, that commitment is deeply personal. Growing up in British Columbia, I spent countless hours growing up on the water, sailing, and developing a real love for the ocean. That connection came long before my career in the maritime industry and has stayed with me throughout my life, shaping how I think about our responsibility to understand, care for, and protect our marine environment. I firmly believe people protect what they understand and value, and expanding access to the waterfront is essential to our collective future.
Through our partnership with AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, SSA Marine is helping to advance Blue Economy innovation, expand access to STEM education, and build stronger connections between the next generation, the Los Angeles waterfront, and the maritime industry. It has been a real privilege to work alongside the AltaSea team, particularly Jenny Krusoe and Terry Tamminen, whose passion for their work and genuine commitment to the cause are inspiring. I am also personally honored to have recently joined AltaSea’s Board of Directors, and I look forward to helping carry this work forward.
AltaSea sits at the intersection of industry, education, and research, helping turn new ideas, technologies, and solutions into real-world progress. It serves as a bridge between the Blue Economy and the surrounding community, advancing a vision that connects waterfront innovation with the people and communities it benefits. AltaSea’s work shows that innovation, environmental responsibility, community benefit, and economic opportunity are most successful when advanced together.
That vision took a big step forward recently with the launch of the LA Waterfront STEM Network (LAWSN). SSA Marine is proud to have made a founding investment in the Network, supporting hands-on STEM learning that gives communities a closer look at the working waterfront. Together with members like AltaSea, the Network brings together organizations across the waterfront around a shared commitment to STEM education and opportunity. LAWSN will highlight the maritime industry’s important place in local communities while introducing the next generation to port operations, budding technologies, and career paths available to them.
Helping expand access to these experiences is especially important in the communities closest to our operations, and SSA Marine is proud to invest in the next generation of students from San Pedro, Wilmington, and the surrounding harbor communities.
So many of us at SSA Marine were fortunate to be exposed to the waterfront and the ocean when we were young, and that experience shaped the careers and lives we went on to build. There is a real passion within our organization to make sure the next generation has that same opportunity. By bringing educators and industry leaders together, we can give young people a new perspective on the maritime industry and ultimately help them see the Port of Los Angeles not only as part of their community, but as a place where they can build a future of their own. We can’t wait to see where they take it!
