HIMC 2024 Agenda
November 6 – 8, 2024 – Hilton Americas, Downtown Houston
Our comprehensive schedule of events features an exciting lineup of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities designed to inform and inspire attendees and to help them stay ahead of the latest trends and developments in the industry.
With a focus on the future of shipping, our conference is the perfect platform to learn from experts, network with peers, and explore innovative solutions to the maritime industry’s challenges. So take a look at our agenda and schedule, and get ready to chart a course for success at the HIMC24!
Join the conversation with #HIMC24.
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Wednesday, November 6, 2024
| 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM | Golf Outing 8:00 AM – Registration & Driving Range 9:00 AM – Shotgun Start 2:30 PM – Awards Presentation |
| 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM | Welcome Happy Hour Cocktail Reception
Bayou Heights Bier Garten |
Thursday, November 7, 2024
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast and Registration, 2nd Floor Outside Ballroom of the Americas, Hilton Americas Downtown |
| 8:00 AM | Opening Remarks
Charlie Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer, Post Houston |
| 8:10 AM | Houston Ship Channel – Project 11 and Beyond: Port Houston’s Chief Channel Officer Lori Brownell will provide an update on the Houston Ship’s Channel’s most game-changing investment – Project 11. She will highlight how Project 11 is preparing the waterway to continue its leadership position as well as give a glimpse into future projects.
Speaker: Lori Brownell, Chief Channel Infrastructure Officer, Port Houston |
| 8:20 AM | Innovation and Safety on the Houston Ship Channel: This session will showcase Houston Ship’s Channel’s investment in innovation. Panelists will discuss the moves being made to demonstrate the commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the crews, cargo and infrastructure of the Houston Ship Channel.
Moderator: |
| 8:50AM | Gateway to Growth: Leveraging Port Houston’s Cargo Base for Success: This session will delve into Port Houston’s significance as a major cargo hub and discuss how BCOs, industrial real estate professionals and economic developers can collectively leverage the port’s cargo base for success. Panelists will also highlight emerging trends in logistics, warehousing, distribution and economic development.
Moderator: |
| 9:40 AM | Networking Break |
| 10:00 AM | Port Houston – The Natural Export Gateway: Houston is the number one export port in the United States with a unique 50/50 split between imports and exports. The panel will discuss what factors make Port Houston the natural export gateway, including its ideal location and infrastructure. Further, panelists will explain why they choose to work with the Port – the export experts–to handle their cargo.
Moderator: |
| 10:50 AM | State of the Economy
Speaker: Patrick Jankowski, Senior Vice President, Research and Chief Economist, Greater Houston Partnership |
| 11:20 AM | Diversifying Sourcing – Shifting to Emerging Markets: As the industry continues to diversify, more and more manufacturing is moving to emerging markets, creating opportunities for new trade lanes, new suppliers, new customers and new partnerships. Panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges of implementing a diversified manufacturing strategy.
Moderator: |
| 12:10 PM | Lunch – Sponsored by Port Houston & SESCO Terminals |
| 1:20 PM | Waterside Chat: FMC Commissioner Carl Bentzel discusses the industry’s hottest topics, offering insight about where he sees the opportunities and challenges in the future.
Speaker: Carl Bentzel, Commissioner, Federal Maritime Commission |
| 1:50 PM | Cold Chain is Hot in Houston: As the gateway to South America and Latin America, Port Houston is committed to becoming the Port of choice for produce importers. The panel will discuss the tremendous opportunity cold chain presents and how Port Houston’s location, network, infrastructure and innovation make it an ideal cold chain partner.
Moderator: |
| 2:40 PM | Looking at Trends, Solutions and Services that Ensure the Smooth Flow of Project Cargo and Breakbulk: Port Houston owns, manages and operates the 8 public terminals in the Houston Ship Channel, including the area’s largest breakbulk and project cargo port complex in North America. In this panel you’ll get to hear industry experts on how bulk and project cargo are growing, and how this industry is building efficiencies to ensure continued fluidity.
Moderator: |
| 3:10 PM | Networking Break |
| 3:30 PM | The Houston Ship Channel, America’s Largest Port Complex and Its Most Significant Economic Engine: The Houston Ship Channel’s impact to the nation is astounding. It supports $906 billion in annual economic value and 3.37 million jobs nationwide. This fireside chat will bring together leaders from the waterway’s three largest stakeholders: the port authority, the energy sector, and the pilot association. Hear them share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for this vital economic engine.
Moderator: |
| 4:00 PM | Landside Fluidity – Solutions for Keeping the Cargo Moving from Dock to Door: Although cargo spends more time at sea, the landside of the supply chain is where the process becomes far more complex. This panel will look at successful shifts to improve fluidity, where the opportunities lie, and what we need to focus on for the future.
Moderator: |
| 4:50 PM | Port Houston Presents its Second Annual Lone Star Award: Recognizing partnership excellence, the Lone Star Award is given to organizations that demonstrate a commitment to providing outstanding service to the region’s maritime supply chain. Lone Star Award recipient to be revealed soon. |
| 5:00 PM | Closing Remarks |
| 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Evening Reception
2nd Floor Outside Ballroom of the Americas, Hilton Americas Downtown |
Friday, November 8, 2024
| 7:15 AM | Breakfast, 2nd Floor Outside Ballroom of the Americas, Hilton Americas Downtown |
| 8:00 AM | Welcome Speaker – Sponsored by: MRS-CMC Hall of Fame Basketball Legend Clyde Drexler – A conversation with legendary Houston broadcaster Bill Worrell |
| 8:40 AM | Going Green: Sustainability Solutions for the Future of Shipping: This panel will look at how the industry must work together to reach sustainability targets, providing a transparent view of the challenges and the costs, as well as where we have seen significant strides in the right direction.
Moderator: |
| 9:30 AM | Networking Break |
| 9:50 AM | Keynote Speaker
Dr. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, Administrator, Panama Canal Authority |
| 10:40 AM | Import Expert Analyst
Daniel Hackett, Partner, Hackett Associates |
| 10:50 AM | Importer Insight – Reinventing Business as Global Economy Continues to Grow: This panel will look at market forces and trends driving growth and ways importers are capitalizing on the flourishing global economy.
Moderator: |
| 11:40 AM | Voice of the Ocean Carrier: The session will speak with ocean carrier leadership on how they are approaching business as the marketplace evolves. They will share their insight on the overall market including: evolution of alliances, capacity outlook, market dynamics driving growth, and BCO/Carrier relations.
Moderator: |
| 12:30 PM | Closing |