HOLMDEL, NJ  - The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII), along with its sponsorship partner the Port of Houston Authority, presented the Container Trade Outlook Conference on November 18th in Houston, Texas. The one-day, three-panel conference and networking event took place at the DoubleTree Hotel at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Manuel Benítez, Deputy Administrator, Panama Canal Authority, provides an update on the progress of the Panama Canal expansion to attendees at the Containerization & Intermodal Institute's Container Trade Outlook Conference, on November 18, 2015 in Houston, TX. The Port of Houston Authority was the co-sponsor.
Manuel Benítez, Deputy Administrator, Panama Canal Authority, provides an update on the progress of the Panama Canal expansion to attendees at the Containerization & Intermodal Institute's Container Trade Outlook Conference, on November 18, 2015 in Houston, TX. The Port of Houston Authority was the co-sponsor.
"The combination of bringing in Mr. Benítez as the keynote, focusing on the most compelling topics and securing industry leaders to serve as speakers drew such a high level of interest, that we reached capacity at our venue and needed to stop taking reservations," said Michael DiVirgilio, President, CII. "Each speaker and panel discussion was compelling and kept the audience engaged, resulting in many attendees requesting the presentations, which are currently available on our website at containerization.org." Keynote speaker Manuel E. Benítez, Deputy Administrator of Panama Canal Authority, addressed the critical issue of the Panama Canal expansion. Mr. Benitez stressed the importance of the canal to U.S. trade, highlighting that 68.5 percent of the cargo passing through the canal last year originated in or was destined for the United States, and he expects that to increase to 71 percent in 2015. The conference hosted three panel discussions, which began with the first panel topic "Container Trade Outlook" with William L. Ralph, the President of R.K. Johns & Associates and panelists Reade Kidd the Director of Global Logistics from The Home Depot, Inc., Ricky W. Kunz the Chief Commercial Officer from Port of Houston Authority, Mario Moreno Senior Economist from the Journal of Commerce/HIS and Vanessa Talbot, Global Plastic & Resins Sales and Optimization Planning Manager, Global Supply Chain, ExxonMobil Chemical Company. The second panel followed with "Chassis Model Outlook and Issues" with Michael J. DiVirgilio, President, CII as moderator and panelists Philip Connors, Executive Vice President, Flexi-Van Leasing, Inc., Keith Lovetro, President and CEO, TRAC Intermodal, Jon Poelma, Senior VP and COO, Consolidated Chassis Management, LLC and Ron Joseph, Chief Operating Officer, Direct ChassisLink Inc. The final panel focused on the topic "U.S. Maritime Labor Update" with Joseph A. Bonney, Senior Editor, Journal of Commerce as moderator, and panelists Stephen Hennessey, Senior VP and COO, Pacific Maritime Association and Benny Holland, Jr., Executive Vice President, International Longshoremen's Association (ILA).