• 2014 August 4 18:43

    Secretary General of Association of Caribbean States to deliver keynote address at 14th TOC Americas conference

    H.E Ambassador Alfonso Múnera, Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) will give a keynote address at the 14th edition of its TOC Americas conference and exhibition, taking place on October 14-16 in Cartagena, Colombia. This will be the first time in Colombia for the pan-Americas’ container trade, shipping and ports event, having previously been held in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Panama and the USA, the event organizer TOC Events Worldwide said.
     
    Founded in 1994, ACS is the organisation for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters across the Greater Caribbean, with 25 member countries* and 7 associate member countries**. Ambassador Múnera took up the post of ACS Secretary General in 2012, following a long diplomatic career within the Greater Caribbean region. As Chief Administrative Officer of the Association, and the highest ranking authority within the Secretariat, he is responsible for developing and maintaining political and co-operation relations with member countries and observers, and strengthening institutional and cooperation relationships between the ACS and other third parties.
     
    In his keynote speech on 14 October, Ambassador Múnera will outline ACS’s latest work on port and maritime strategies in the Greater Caribbean. This will include the key findings of a new study by Dutch consultants MTBS, commissioned by ACS in April and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD). The study set out to assess the development of maritime container traffic in the Greater Caribbean, including transhipment trends, with analysis of existing and projected container port infrastructure in the region, taking into consideration the imminent expansion of the Panama Canal. The draft final report was presented on 11 July at an ACS meeting held in collaboration with Puerto de Cartagena, Colombia’s largest container port operator, which also plays host to this year’s TOC Americas. The final report is due out in August.
     
    The broader issue of how maritime container networks for deep sea and regional trade are evolving across the Americas, including the outlook for Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) transhipment operations, will again be a key topic of debate at this year’s TOC Americas.
     
    Historically, both North America and LAC have been oriented more towards direct calls than hub-and-spoke operations (albeit with some notable exceptions). But as charted by speakers at TOC Americas in recent years, a complex interplay of factors is now calling the status quo into question. Among others, this includes Panama Canal expansion, increased vessel size on east-west and north-south trades, shipping alliances and consolidation, growth of near-shoring in Mexico and Central America, new regional trade pacts, and infrastructure developments.
     
    In a special session also on 14 October, a panel of carrier, 3PL and port executives, joined by two expert consultants, will review the key factors impacting carrier network strategies and discuss potential outcomes for the regional port system, including transhipment hubs. The panel will be moderated by Michael Kaasner Kristiansen who, after a 23-year career with A.P. Moller-Maersk, including 4 years as Head of Operations for Latin America & the Caribbean, set up CK Americas in 2012 to provide transport and logistics consulting.
     
    Mr Kristiansen will be joined by panel members Poul Hestbaek, SVP Latin America West Coast & Caribbean for Hamburg Süd – whose Latin footprint is set for growth following the recently-announced deal to acquire Chilean carrier CCNI – Richard Jordan, SVP & Regional Head of Logistics Americas at Panalpina, Giovanni Benedetti, Commercial Director, Sociedad Portuaria Regional Cartagena (SPRC), Enno Koll, Head of Latin America for PSA Panama and Dr Asaf Ashar, Research Professor, National Ports & Waterways Initiative (NPWI).
     
    “We have an outstanding line-up of expert industry practitioners and commentators at this year’s conference to help our audience make sense of what’s happening today and what it means for the future,” said TOC Events Content Director Rachael White. “The chance to hear direct from the Secretary General of ACS adds a vital new dimension to our annual analysis of maritime trade and transport trends across the Americas.”    
     
    Taking place at the Cartagena de Indias Convention Center (CCCI) from 14-16 October, TOC Americas includes the TOC Container Supply Chain conference, Cold Chain conference track on perishable and refrigerated trade and TECH TOC container terminal operations forum. The TOC exhibition running alongside showcases the latest in port services, equipment and technology solutions.

    About ACS
    Member States of ACS: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.
     
    Associate Members of ACS: Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius, Turks and Caicos.


2024 November 7

18:00 Innovation Norway and Team Norway sign two agreements aimed at advancing sustainable maritime solutions
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17:36 Konecranes expands emissions reduction ambition by committing to setting long-term, science-based net-zero targets
17:16 HD KSOE receives AiP from LR and LISCR for ammonia fuel-related equipment
17:08 ClassNK granted its “ELW (HP)” notation to bulk carrier “ROYAL LAUREL”
16:42 Equinor strengthens its position in the Norwegian Sea
16:24 Provaris Energy raises A$1.5 million to support hydrogen and CO₂ initiatives
15:56 Catator joins Ammonia Energy Association to accelerate adoption of ammonia for shipping
15:46 Scandlines wins innovation award of the German mobility industry
14:33 Flex LNG agrees to amend the existing time charter agreements for the two LNG carriers
13:41 ADNOC secures 15-year sales and purchase agreement for Ruwais LNG project
13:07 Three fugitive methane detection and measurement technology companies selected for feasibility studies
12:44 Irving Shipbuilding chooses TMC for Canadian patrol ships
12:24 ADNOC awards $490 mln contract to expand world’s largest 3D seismic survey
11:59 First Damen Shrimp Trawler 2607 completes sea trials
11:13 GTT receives an order from a Korean shipyard for the tank design of a new Floating Storage Regasification Unit
10:58 Hapag-Lloyd orders 24 LNG- fuelled boxships

2024 November 6

18:00 DFDS launches a new freight ferry service between Italy and Egypt
17:34 Viking names two newest Nile River ships in Luxor
17:18 Enova grants EUR 65m to five hydrogen projects for maritime fuel in Norway
16:48 COSCO SHIPPING signed a strategic cooperation agreement with BYD
16:25 Shipyards deliver a record 410 container ships in 2024
15:28 Syngenta and Maersk extend partnership in more sustainable and innovative supply chain solutions
14:41 Ports of Szczecin and Swinoujscie post results for the first three quarters of 2024
14:18 China plans to increase low-carbon bunkering capacity at Shanghai Port to more than 1 million tonnes per year by 2030
13:44 Singapore Methanol signs MOU with Global Energy to advance bio-methanol fuel
12:23 Höegh Evi signs MoU with the port of Port-La Nouvelle to develop a floating terminal for hydrogen imports
11:59 TORM capital increase in connection with delivery of one 2015-built MR vessel
11:29 Intra-Asia сontainer shipping market outpaces global growth – Drewry
10:09 ICTSI net income up 31% to US$632.58mln in Jan-Sept 2024
09:04 Guangzhou Shipbuilding completes the annual ship delivery target
08:52 CSSC held naming ceremony for last of 10 container ships built for Seaspan

2024 November 5

18:27 RS successfully completes annual survey of the legendary nuclear-powered icebreaker LENIN
18:24 Expanded emissions rules to be implemented at California ports from January 1, 2025
17:35 COSCO Shipping launches innovative ammonia-fueled ammonia/LPG vessel design
17:19 PIL orders five more LNG dual-fuel vessels from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding
16:57 Chevron expands supply of marine lubricants to include Port Elizabeth, South Africa
16:29 EDGE Group and Fincantieri sign MoU to jointly develop underwater solutions
15:53 Cadeler signs firm contracts with ScottishPower Renewables for East Anglia TWO foundation and turbine transportation and installation
15:03 Sea1 Offshore steps up with two new vessel orders
14:35 COSCO SHIPPING becomes second largest shareholder of Shenzhen Yantian Port
13:48 MOL (Asia Oceania) invests in joint development/investment 'logistics infrastructure' projects in Southeast Asia
13:13 Kongsberg Maritime propulsion selected for new Peruvian Navy frigate programme
12:53 ADNOC and Masdar collaborate with Microsoft to drive AI deployment and low-carbon solutions
12:24 MOL to build logistic center on Kobe's Port Island
11:19 APM Terminals announces appointment of new Managing Director for Suez Canal Container Terminal
10:42 Hapag-Lloyd christens the “Hamburg Express” in the Port of Hamburg

2024 November 4

17:27 Hapag-Lloyd christens the “Hamburg Express” in the Port of Hamburg
15:52 Paradip Port to be fully mechanised by 2030
14:13 Autonomous vessel to sail 1,500 km from Mumbai to Tuticorin
13:48 DPA Kandla in a plan for new container terminal and multipurpose berth with ₹27,000 crore investment
12:18 China's 41st Antarctic expedition begins
10:34 10 years old Meyer Turku aims for carbon-neutral shipbuilding
09:41 Port of Vancouver vessel traffic management system enhances marine safety and trade efficiency throughout Burrard Inlet

2024 November 3

15:57 Babcock completes deep maintenance of Lambeth River Station
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12:51 Rolls-Royce develops new mtu energy and automation solutions for future submarines
10:19 Cepsa changes its name to Moeve
09:46 Singapore says no oil sightings arising from oil-related incidents

2024 November 2

18:06 Singapore’s first fully electric cargo vessel wins Green Ship Award at SRS Forum
17:20 VTTI looks to buy into LNG terminals in Asia
16:48 Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding signs contracts for 12 large container ships in the past 10 days
16:32 CHIMBUSCO secures its first LNG refueling service in Europe
15:46 SLB OneSubsea awarded subsea boosting contract for bp’s Kaskida project in Gulf of Mexico
15:24 Wilson Sons to start construction of three new eco-friendly tugboats in 2025
14:57 Rem Offshore holds keel laying ceremony for REM Pioneer
12:30 World's first conversion of large container ship to run on methanol successfully completed
11:52 New offshore platform taps into potential of heavy-oil reserves in China
11:24 HRDD completes desulphurization tower system conversion for a PCTC
09:48 TOWT launches its first cargo sailing ship in Le Havre