Panama, venue for the Latin American Merchant Marine Summit

Representatives of the maritime, logistics and transport sectors will meet at an international meeting in Panama next month, with the aim of integrating, for the first time in the same scenario, the entire value chain related to cargo handling and disposal.

The Panamanian Association of Naval Officers (APOM) announced this Thursday the organization of the 1st Latin American Merchant Marine Industry Summit (Latin America Merchant Marine Industry Summit, LAMMIS 2023) on July 19, 20 and 21 in this city, as a space that will enable the perspective of experiences and knowledge about tendencies and challenges that present and future times require.

He Captain Alberto Herrerathe president of the Summit and former president of APOM, pointed out that despite the impact of the pandemic on acquisitions and trade restrictions, the maritime transport sector never stopped working, as well as ports, inland transport and logistics, in critical moments when the supply chain was vital for the world .

He explained that after the panel held five years ago in the country with the idea of ​​helping cadets and naval officers with employment, there were other broader panels with the Chamber Panama Maritime As a co-organizer, you could count on the presence of the maritime industry of passenger ships and shipping companies, where important shipping companies also participated, in order to present the needs of the industry and its trends in the world.

“It’s the first time in Panama (of this 1st summit) that we sit, at the same table, different actors who make up large transport equipment, in the supply chain, and who have relations with our big actor, which is cargo”, said Herrera.

The organization hopes that the summit can continue to be held annually or bienniallyas part of a process in which other actors are involved.

It also recognizes that the goal is to implement at the meeting a promotion and update window aimed at different sectors of the maritime and port industry at the level of Latin America, in order to strengthen cooperation and jointly face challenges and opportunities.

The president of the summit highlighted the efforts made by the organization to have world-class exhibitors at this first edition, such as Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, whom he pointed out is a world-renowned person and consultant in everything related to container transport, prices and modes of transportation; and Thomas Sim, president Singapore Logistics Association and Senior Vice President of FIATA (International Federation of Freight Forwarding Associations) and recognized worldwide promoter of logistics platforms.

Galo Molina, president Planet Cargo and former Vice President of ALACAT (Federation of National Associations of Cargo Agents and International Logistics Operators of Latin America and the Caribbean) and current FIATA Treasurer; Rolando Álvarez, CEO of UPCARGO, Vice President of FIATA and President of Conexpo (Council of Former Presidents of Panamanian Trade Unions); They will also be among the keynote speakers at the event.

Likewise, Ivette Canales, Executive Director of Terminal Logística Portuaria Internacional and President, will share her experience and vision during the Summit International Alliance of Logistics, Investment and Trade; Michael Malliaros, general manager of Euronav Ship Management; Director of the Port of the State of Spain Juan Ramón García-Notario, Director of the Port of Bilbao, among other experts.

“The congress will be an opportunity to update globally and find out what is happening with container handling, cyber security knowledge, port sustainability and training and education of experts,” detailed Capt. Gerardo Bósquez, member of APOM and organizing committee of the Congress.

He specified that “topics such as: maritime 4.0, internet things and how technology shapes maritime transport, a new way of transporting containers, sustainability, optimization of the value chain, the transformation of the energy infrastructure in Latin America and the resilience of the maritime officer in critical times, which lead us to rethink what we do and take into account current trends”.

“We have exhibitors coming from the port Barcelona, ​​from Bilbaoa representative of the Port of the State of Spain (rector of maritime affairs in Spain), a representative from Guatemala, one from Singapore, one from Mexico, Costa Rica, Greece, Denmark and Panama.

The idea is to update and exchange practices and experiences,” he added Bósquez, for whom Panama It is the place that hosts the congress not only because of the Panama Canal, its “hub” – the center of connection – the airport, shipping, its ports, the railway – transisthmic -, the important concentration of companies in the maritime sector and the dynamism that allows it to be the center of attention of all Latin America.

Another relevant moment of the summit, according to organizationthere will be a recreation with the presence of live cyber attack experts, as a reflection of what could happen in the maritime industry.

Herrera emphasized that there will be reporters from the forum, with the idea of ​​obtaining a final document with conclusions that serve to improve the sector in the region.

The President of the Congress also expressed interest in reaching an agreement with 10 leading maritime universities in Spain to bring postgraduate, master’s and, for the first time, doctorate degrees from the International Maritime University of Panama (UMIP) to Panama.

“It could also put our country in question because it could aspire to be the ‘CENTRE’ of higher maritime studies at the level of Latin America,” he exalted.

He recognized the summit as an opportunity to start actively approaching the challenges of the industry, and to find out what they are doing in other countries.

“In Panama, we have to start analyzing what is being done in the region and how we can not only sustain ourselves, but continue to be leaders. We all have to connect and see how to be competitive, including the state,” said the president of the Congress.

“As a general rule, for every worker in the port (direct employment), there are eight workers (indirect employment) in what is called the port’s area of ​​influence. This tells us about the importance of ports, maritime traffic and all devices that move cargo. “The port creates a great social benefit in the region where it has influence,” said Herrera.