Honorary Port Pilot Award

The Honorary Port Pilot Award, the Port of Long Beach's highest honor, is named for the harbor port pilots who are entrusted to safely guide cargo ships in and out of the port.

Since 1954, the port has honored individuals for their leadership and achievements in international trade.The port has presented the award to CEOs of leading corporations, prime ministers, ambassadors, members of Congress, Cabinet officials and presidents, including Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.

See a photo gallery of Port Pilot Award recipients.

Award recipients

2011
Jon F. Hemingway
Chief Executive Officer, SSA Marine

2007
Soo Ho Cho
Chairman, Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd.

Robert A. Malone
President and CEO of BP America, Inc.

2004
Capt.Wei Jiafu
President and CEO,
China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co.

2003
C.C. Tung
Chairman and CEO, Orient Overseas (International) Limited

2002
Steve Horn
United States Representative, 38th District of California

2001
Richard J. Jacobsen
Chief Executive Officer, Jacobsen Pilot Service, Inc.

2000
Chen Zhong Biao
Chairman, China Ocean
Shipping (Group) Company

Isao Shintani
Chairman of the Board, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

1997
Steven R. Dillenbeck
Executive Director, Port of Long Beach

1996
Alfred B. (Ted) Ruhly
Chairman of the Board, Maersk Inc.
and Maersk Line, Ltd.

1994
Shiro Nagumo
Chairman, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

1993
Lee Kuan Yew
Prime Minister of Singapore

1991
Hiroshige Matsunari
President, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

1989
Kiyoshi Itoh
Chairman, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

1988
Hon. Ronald W. Reagan
President of the United States

1987
C.H. Tung
Chairman of the Board, Orient Overseas Container Line

1984
Kiyoshi Kumagai
President, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

1983
Hon. Michael J. Mansfield
U.S. Ambassador to Japan

1982
Captain M.Y. Stone
Chairman of the Board, Dart Container Services, Ltd.

1980
Hon. Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr.
Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives

1979
Kosuke Okada
President, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

1978
Bunichiro Tanabe
President, Mitsubishi Corporation

1977
Thomas J. Thorley
General Manager, Port of Long Beach

C.Y. Tung
Chairman, Orient Overseas Container Line

1977
Hon. Hubert H. Humphrey
United States Senate

Hon. John E. Moss
United States House of Representatives

1976
Chujiro Fujino
Chairman of the Board, Mitsubishi Corporation

Hon. Joseph M. Kennick
California State Senator

Hon. Robert T. Hartmann
Counsellor to the President

Hon. Alan Cranston
United States Senate

1975
Hon. Edwin W. Wade
Mayor of Long Beach, California

Hon. Takeo Miki
Prime Minister of Japan

1974
Hon. Toma Granfil
Ambassador of Yugoslavia

Hon. Harold T. "Bizz" Johnson
United States House of Representatives

Admiral Hyman G. Rickover
U.S. Navy, Director, Division of Naval Reactors, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

1973
Hon. Glenn M. Anderson
United States House of Representatives

Hon. Vernon D. Acree
United States Commissioner of Customs

1972
Hon. Eisaku Sato
Prime Minister of Japan

1971
Hon. Richard T. Hanna
United States House of Representatives

Hon. Mrs. Helen Delich Bentley
Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission

Hon. Yun Suan Sun
Minister of Economic Affairs, Republic of China

Motozo Hattori
Chairman of Board, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

Captain J.A. Jacobsen
President, Jacobsen Pilot Service, Inc.

1970
Hon. Robert H. Finch
Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare

Hon. Warren G. Magnuson
United States Senate

1969
Charles L. Vickers
General Manager, Port of Long Beach

1968
Hon. L. Mendel Rivers
United States House of Representatives

Rear Admiral John Harllee, U.S.N. (Retired)
Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission

1967
Hon. Cecil R. King
United States House of Representatives

Hon. Craig Hosmer
United States House of Representatives

Captain J. Treasure Jones
R.M.S. Queen Mary

1965
Hon. Nicholas Johnson
Federal Maritime Administration

Hon. Chet Holifield
United States House of Representatives

Katsujiro Takagaki
Chairman of the Board, Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha, Ltd.

Hon. Sukenari Hirata
Mayor of Yokkaichi, Japan

Melvin H. Baker
Honorary Chairman National Gypsum Co.

1963
Rear Admiral R.K. James
Chief of Bureau of Ships

Hon. Dr. Wilfred Platzer
Ambassador of Austria

Hon. Phillip Nichols
Commissioner of Customs

1962
Daniel D. Strohmeier
Vice President, Bethlehem Steel

Hon. Louis Scheyvan
Ambassador of Belgium

Hon. Donald W. Alexander
Federal Maritime Administration

Hon. Pedro G. Ramirez
Consul General of the Philippines

1960
Hon. Spessard L. Holland
United States Senate

1958
Hon. Juan D.G. Rodriguez
Secretary of Agriculture of the Philippines

Eloi J. Amar
General Manager, Port of Long Beach

1957
Hon. Roberto Gomez Maqueo
Secretary of Marine of Mexico

1956
Boyd Campbell
President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

1955
Hon. Clarence G. Morse
Federal Maritime Administration

1954
Hon. Dwight D. Eisenhower
President of the United States

Hon. Goodwin J. Knight
Governor of California

Hon. Charles S. Thomas
Secretary of the Navy

His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I
Emperor of Ethiopia

Hon. Douglas McKay
Secretary of the Interior

Hon. Gaku Matsumoto
International Association of Ports and Harbors