Welcome to Panama and welcome to Panama Maritime XIV World Conference and Exhibition. This year, we have several milestones to celebrate, including the 500 year anniversary of Panama City; the full and successful operation of the expanded Panama Canal; application of new measures to make the Panama Flag Registry more efficient and more competitive; show-and-tell presentations on the full integration of technology in the logistics, port and shipping industries.
Panama Maritime XIV World Conference & Exhibition will be held from 17 to 20 March 2019 at the Megapolis Convention Centre in Panama City. The main theme of the conference is “Taking advantage of evolving industry trends: A greener, digital & autonomous maritime industry.”
As has been the case for the last twenty-eight years, the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), will open the conference & exhibition and will address the audience on pressing issues at IMO, including new MARPOL regulations to increase ship efficiency and to protect the environment. The Canal Administrator will provide an update on how the expanded Canal is doing in terms of revenues and tonnage share of the market as well as how the Canal contributes to the consolidation of Panama as a regional logistics hub. The Administrator of the Maritime Authority will give us his vision of the Registry´s next 100 years, as well as port and maritime ancillary services infrastructure development, particularly the new cruise ship terminal.
The Conference presenters will give us an expert look at the maritime industry´s evolving trends: The maritime, port and logistics industries continue to evolve in response to economic, political, demographic, and, especially technological trends. Panama Maritime will help understand these trends and how they help improve customer satisfaction, as well as operational efficiency and quality.
Panama Maritime 2019 World Conference & Exhibition will provide a front seat lookout of what is happening now –and how evolving trends will transform the industry in the coming decade –including the impact of carrier consolidation and alliances; why are under-scrapping and overcapacity still major rate stability triggers; new energy efficient sources and technological innovation´s break into port and multimodal services operations –and when should we expect the autonomous vehicle revolution to arrive.
Other players in the maritime industry will talk about relevant issues, including the future of LNG as a viable energy source for shipping –and solar and wind power as possible alternatives for propulsion systems.
At Panama Maritime 2019 World Conference & Exhibition, you will be able to participate in discussions with major regional logistics service providers regarding how to add value to the Canal route –and what ports and shipping lines must do to contribute making Panama an efficient regional hub for value-added services and re-distribution of goods. We will continue analyzing and proposing new ways to augment the impact of the expanded Canal on the socio-economic development of Central America and the Caribbean Region. Bunkering will again be on the Agenda, since today, more than ever, quality of products and services are critical issues for transiting ships.
Additionally –the issues of ship and cargo insurance will be discussed, as well as the subject of maritime mortgages and local bank participation in the shipping business, as introduced by new legislation in Panama. Technical topics of great relevance to the industry will also be discussed, including new MARPOL regulations and challenges facing implementation of the Ballast Water Convention.
To make the best possible programme for this conference, the Organising Committee has again invited leading figures from the maritime, port and international logistics industry, to form an Advisory Board to provide the Committee with guidance regarding issues that we must include in the programme and personalities that we could invite as speakers. Surely, their views and recommendations will greatly increase the relevance and importance of the topics discussed at the conference, whilst we attract more and better international speakers, delegates and exhibitors, as well.
The exhibition accompanying the conference will attract the participation of at least 110 companies that will promote their services and products, as well as providing excellent opportunities for “networking” and business representation in Panama and in the region. The conference also includes technical tours to ports in the Pacific and Atlantic terminals, the expansion Canal, the Colon Free Zone and the Panama Pacific Economic Area in Howard.
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The EventPanama Maritime XIV World Conference & Exhibition will be held from 17 to 20 March 2019 at the Megapolis Convention Centre in Panama City, Panama. The Conference has been held every two years since twenty-eight years ago! –as a visionary project of the Maritime Law Association of Panama and the Maritime Chamber of Panama.
Since 1991, the Conference has grown into a world-class international full-fledged trade conference and exhibition covering all maritime sectors including infrastructure, port, logistics, particularly agro-logistics and shipping –with emphasis on legal issues affecting those areas, as well as business opportunities for Panama and the region.
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Inaugural Ceremony – 19:00 – Sunday 17 March 2019
Opening of Exhibition
Welcome Cocktail
His Excellency Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez, President of the Republic of Panama
Honorable Kitack Lim, Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation
consular@panathai.com