October 21, 2025 — The Port of Hueneme, California, and the Port of Paita, Peru, are proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a Sister Port relationship through the U.S. Department of State’s Sister Ports Program. This partnership aims to advance cooperation, trade development, and the exchange of best practices between the two ports, reflecting a shared commitment to global connectivity and sustainable growth.
A delegation from Peru touched down in Ventura County on October 13, 2025, to meet with Port of Hueneme leaders and local partners. The delegation was welcomed by Port Commissioners and executive leadership for a port tour and roundtable discussions on sharing best practices, identifying strategies for enhancing connectivity and expanding trade between the two nations.
“Our relationship with Peru is an important one we intend to nurture as we investigate more ways to bring benefit to these two great countries through trade,” said Oxnard Harbor District President Jess Ramirez.
After two days of productive meetings with key stakeholders and insightful site visits with strategic partners, the ports’ respective CEOs—Kristin Decas of Hueneme and Eduardo Cerdeira of Paita—along with Board members Jess J. Ramirez of Hueneme and Alfredo Jurado of Paita, capped off the visit with a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony and dinner reception at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum.
“It is with great pleasure to facilitate and witness this burgeoning rewarding relationship between the Ports of Hueneme and Paita. As implementers for this Sister Ports Program funded by the State Department, we are convinced this relationship will bear fruit and result in increased trade and cooperation between the ports and the larger port communities in their respective regions,” said Robert Hans, Senior Managing Director at IOS Partners.
Both parties began exploring this relationship in 2024 before a delegation from Hueneme visited Paita earlier this year. “The Sister Port relationship we have with the Port of Patia highlights our shared vision not only for global collaboration, but also for sharing best practices and expanding trade opportunities that will benefit local economies in both regions,” said Kristin Decas, CEO & Director of the Port of Hueneme.
“We are thrilled to participate in this visit to grow our relationship with the Port of Hueneme. It marks an important step in strengthening trade between the U.S. and Peru and opening new opportunities for enhancing connectivity and creating mutually beneficial pathways for commerce.” Alfredo Jurado, Board Member TPE.
The Port’s strong relationship with Peru has enabled both communities to thrive. Peru represents the Port of Hueneme’s fourth largest trading partner by volume, and the Port is now the only West Coast facility certified for cold treatment of Peruvian blueberries.
Key areas outlined in the MOU include improving transparency in procurement, sharing best practices in port management, and exploring trade expansion opportunities. Reflecting on the broader impact of the partnership, Eduardo Cerdeira ,CEO of Terminales Portuarios Euroandinos, said, “The Sister Ports program between Hueneme and Paita marks a milestone that goes beyond the relationship between two ports. It represents an initiative that promotes a model for expanding new trade alternatives and maritime routes, fostering an exchange of knowledge with the aim of benefiting communities along the west coast of the Americas.”
The Sister Ports Program was created to generate new initiatives, enhance connectivity between the ports, identify new business opportunities, facilitate trade and deepen bilateral cooperation between the U.S. and Peru. The Port of Hueneme’s other Sister Ports include Quetzal (Guatemala), Bolivar (Ecuador), and Ensenada (Mexico).
