The TOC Asia conference (Shanghai, 16-18 March) "will examine the shape of the post-crisis world"
Conference editor Neil Madden writes: "Although reports still vary, China’s and Asia’s container trades could rebound sooner than expected. China is steadily emerging from recession, and cargo volumes are starting to show progress. In fact, the country’s second tier ports (that is, outside Shanghai and Shenzhen) are reportedly already back to pre-crisis levels.
"At the same time, however, the liner shipping business is still under severe financial pressure. Given that port-related costs are among the largest elements in liner shipping economics, it is by no means clear that container trades will simply resume the same growth patterns as in the past decade.
"The 14th TOC Asia Conference will examine the shape of the post-crisis world. With clear pictures of trade volumes on the key Asia-Europe and Transpacific trades, TOC Asia 2010 will assess the impact on ports and terminals throughout Asia-Pacific and what they can expect from the coming decade.
"Tomorrow’s port industry will have significantly different characteristics from those of the pre-crisis boom. Access to investment finance is already tighter and likely to remain so for some years.
"The whole container shipping and port industry is moving into a state of maturity. So, even as traffic rebounds, ports will have to rely on revenue growth from greater productivity and value-added services, rather than just volume growth.
"The legislative and political environment will also be different. Ports could find themselves firmly within the orbit of a new cargo liability regime, potentially resulting in higher insurance claims. And terminal operators will find that environmental performance and sustainability will become a central strategy to win new - and retain existing - concessions."
TOC Asia 2010 Advisory Group members include:
Charles De Trenck, Founder, Transport Trackers, Hong Kong
Pilar Dieter, Director, Alaris Consulting, Hong Kong
Parakrama Dissanayake, Chairman and CEO, Aitken Spence Maritime, Sri Lanka
Dr. Fu Yuning, Chairman, China Merchants Group, Hong Kong
Larry Lam, Chairman, Portek Group, Singapore
Kieran Ring, CEO, Global Institute of Logistics, USA
Howard Wren, Technical Director, AECOM, Australia
For details of conference programme and speakers, go to www.toc-events.com
