HOUSTON: Port Houston is hosting the 2nd Annual JOC Gulf Shipping Conference, organized by The Journal of Commerce and parent company IHS Markit, May 14-16 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in downtown Houston. With the Panama Canal expansion complete, regional U.S. ports from Tampa, Fla. to Brownsville, Texas are working together to direct the future of the Gulf Coast in a positive manner. The JOC Gulf Shipping Conference will take an in-depth look at the latest trends, problems and solutions emerging for cargo owners importing and exporting through the Gulf.
Port Houston was the host port for the first shipping conference last year and welcomed more than 250 attendees. This year’s event will provide information and insights that cargo owners can use to plan and execute shipments of container, breakbulk and project cargoes through US Gulf ports. “Last year’s inaugural event laid a solid foundation to build on, and this conference will provide the latest economic outlook and growth opportunities for ports in the U.S. Gulf,” said Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther.
It is anticipated that the U.S. Gulf region will see steady growth in coming years as a result of plant expansions along the Houston Ship Channel coming on line. That expansion will result in an increase in the amount of plastic resins being produced and exported. The industry meeting is scheduled to cover a variety of topics and trends, including petrochemical resins, container shipping, breakbulk and project cargo, intermodal rail connections, automotive trade and equipment repositioning.
