Senior logistics professionals to gather at TOC Asia, part of Singapore Maritime Week, to analyze Asia’s dynamically changing container supply chains
London, 08.12.2013 – Asia’s evolving logistics, shipping and ports sectors, and their impact on global and regional container supply chains will be key discussion points at the 19th TOC Asia Conference and Exhibition, taking place 21-22 April 2015 at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore.
Following a highly successful return to Singapore in 2014, TOC Asia - the pan-Asia conference for people who own, move and handle containerised cargoes – will again be run as part of Singapore Maritime Week (SMW), running from 19-24 April 2015. Driven by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), SMW attracts international participation for a celebration of all things maritime during a week of conferences, dialogues, exhibitions and social events. With a wide range of activities and events organised by MPA, the industry, research and educational institutions, SMW reflects the vibrancy and diversity of Singapore as a major international maritime centre.
TOC Asia showcases a macro-to-micro perspective on global and regional container supply chains and trade, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders to explore current challenges and solutions.
How Asian mega-trends impact global supply chains
Asia’s manufacturing industries continue to develop and mature at a fast pace, with global sourcing and e-commerce trends affecting consumer habits and regional supply chains. At the same time, urbanization is creating a shift towards more consumer-driven economies in both China and elsewhere across Asia-Pacific. These mega-trends crystallised in September when China’s Alibaba e-commerce platform began trading on the New York Stock Exchange, at US$25 bn, the largest ever IPO.
Does this mean we are we on the cusp of a new wave of just-in-time supply chains? If so, will shipping lines, port operators and freight forwarders need to find new ways to serve shippers and their customers? Combined with the inexorable growth in vessel sizes and complex liner alliance structures, how will Asia’s ports face up to the challenges of congestion and demand for faster turnaround?
TOC Asia 2015 will analyse and debate how these market forces have far reaching consequences for ports and container logistics, leveraging its innovative conference and networking format.
Event format maximises networking opportunities
TOC Asia comprises two concurrent debating forums – the Container Supply Chain (CSC) Conference and the TECH TOC Conference – supported by a common networking zone where industry peers can swap notes and debate the high level discussion points presented in the conference sessions.
The Container Supply Chain (CSC) element is an executive-level discussion forum focused on international trade, container shipping, port development and logistics, bringing together shippers, shipping lines, 3PLs, port authorities, terminal operators, government and other key supply chain members.
This is complemented by TECH TOC, designed to engage operational executives in the practicalities of port and terminal performance, with in-depth debates on facility design, automation, operations, equipment and technology from berth to gate.
Major stakeholders already confirmed
Key supply chain stakeholders and analysts already confirmed to speak at the CSC forum include: Bjorn Vang Jensen, VP Global Logistics, Electrolux, Jaya Moorthi, Director of Supply Chain & Logistics, Hewlett Packard Asia Pacific, Stanley Smulders, SVP Asia - Europe & West Africa Trade Management, MOL Liner, Sundara Sundara, VP Ocean Product, Asia Pacific, Agility, Oscar Wang, Assistant General Manager, Shekou Container Terminals, John Arnup, Chief Technical Officer, Port of Tanjung Pelepas, David Alba, President & CEO, Grid Logistics, Richard Martin, Managing Director, IMA Asia, Alan Murphy, COO & Partner, SeaIntel Maritime Analysis, Andy Lane, Partner, CTI Consultancy, Jonathan Beard, Managing Director, ICF GHK, Dr. Stefan Wiech, Partner, HPC Hamburg Port Consulting, Dr. Thomas Vitsounis, Project Leader, Total Port Logistics, NICTA (National ICT Australia), Andrew Zerk, Director, New Dimensionz
“Asia’s port, shipping and logistics space has to grapple both short and long term trends that could fundamentally alter the supply chain dynamics of the global trading system,” commented Paul Holloway, Event Director at TOC Events. “TOC Asia will see major industry stakeholders debate and discuss how to make sense of these complex drivers and their implications for all concerned.”
About TOC Worldwide
For nearly 40 years, TOC Worldwide has provided the market-leading conference and exhibition forums for the global port and terminal industries and their customers. With a change of name to TOC Container Supply Chain, the TOC event portfolio is now evolving fast to attract a wider audience of container supply chain professionals. Taking place each year in the world’s four key shipping hubs – Europe, Middle East, Americas and Asia – each TOC is now a complete container supply chain event for its region, bringing together cargo owners, logistics providers, carriers, ports, terminals and other key members of the container supply chain to learn, debate, network and foster new business solutions. www.toc-events.com