Event Agenda

The MENA region is home to many of the world’s largest projects currently under construction, from NEOM in Saudi Arabia to the North Field East LNG expansion in Qatar, and from the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) in Egypt to the Hyport Duqm facility in Oman. In addition to this, the increased focus on sustainability is providing a wealth of renewable and green energy project opportunities. This session will provide a snapshot of the regional project market as it stands today and include an overview of the EICs Survive & Thrive report. What projects are currently underway? What stage are they at? What projects are coming up? What industries are booming? Don’t miss this session if you want to keep your finger on the pulse and have a real understanding of the lay of the land in the region.

Geopolitical pressures and supply chain disruption are global issues, but the impact is perhaps felt most deeply in the Middle East. The reality of ‘enforced chaos’ requires companies to implement flexible and robust workarounds to accommodate the complex needs of breakbulk cargo. Speakers will consider how insurance and customs can support the industry with projects that cannot afford a delay and will ask how the industry can innovate to reduce impact.

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This session will showcase how innovative strategies – powered by digital platforms and AI – have transformed project execution, featuring a case study from Larsen & Toubro. 

Project activity is soaring in Saudi Arabia and opportunities for involvement from the project cargo supply chain continue to grow. This session will bring industry professionals working on the ground in Saudi Arabia together to discuss the timelines and next steps in these major giga projects; learn more about the challenges faced and solutions sought to tackle these ambitious developments.

The global shift to renewable energy has spurred mega projects, especially in the Middle East, a region long dominated by oil and gas. However, transitioning away from hydrocarbons remains complex, with ‘green’ energy under growing scrutiny and Gulf nations exploring nuclear power as part of their strategies. This panel will examine whether it is time to reframe the energy transition narrative and explore how stakeholders like IOCs, NOCs and LSPs are reshaping the energy landscape. Key topics include:

•    Reframing green energy: Defining true sustainability and avoiding greenwashing.
•    The energy transition myth: Integrating oil, gas, and nuclear into a low-carbon future.
•    Future-ready investments: How oil and gas companies are futureproofing with renewable fuels, energy-efficient technologies, and low-carbon energy projects.
•    Nuclear power: Gulf states’ nuclear ambitions and the role of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
•    The role of LSPs: How can LSPs collaborate with the stakeholders (IOCs / NOCs) in projects such as nuclear, carbon capture, batteries, energy storage, renewable fuel initiatives etc.
•    Technology drive: Advanced technologies supporting greener projects, including semiconductor plants and energy-efficient data centers.
 

The movement of cargo and market disruption impacting this is an industry-wide problem, but traditionally, many shippers and EPCs would hand over responsibility and decision-making to logistics companies. Today, shippers are far more involved, and business relationships have deepened into true partnerships, with collaborative decision-making on digitalization, sustainability, efficiency and more. In this session, high-profile shippers and EPCs will share their top priorities and greatest challenges in the current market, before asking the audience: what solutions can you bring to the table, and how can we work together to apply these?

Unlock the power of Al with practical use cases in project logistics, featuring innovations in computer vision, sound Al, and operational intelligence. This session is open to all supply chain professionals with an interest in how AI could impact their role and their industry.
 

Registration required. Further information to follow. 
 

This forward-looking ideation workshop offers a holistic perspective on the logistical optimization and standardization opportunities of modularization projects. Led by experts Daniel Duus, Sebastian Krey, Daniel Dreiner, and Dr. Sven Hermann, this session helps participants to critically reflect on their own setup and processes, provides insights into the ongoing thyssenkrupp Uhde “Module360” innovation project and enables them to share experiences in an exclusive group of professionals.

What is breakbulk and project cargo? How does it differ from other types of cargo? A leading industry expert will give a general overview and shed light on the particulars of this industry.

This session will cover a range of topics relating to the career opportunities that the maritime, and more specifically the breakbulk and project cargo industry have to offer. Hear directly from those working in the industry on how you can successfully start your career and what options are out there for you in the UAE and further afield. 

With a spotlight on MENA’s energy transition projects, this session will explore the role that LSPs and shipping lines have to play to support such EPC projects. Hydrogen, carbon capture and gasification projects will all be considered. Panelists will also cover investments from the U.S. Export-Import Bank into clean energy projects in the Middle East, and the mutual commitment to deepening the relationship between the two regions.

Hear from recent graduates who have joined the workforce to learn about their experience to date and top tips to being successful when starting out. 

The outlook for the MPV fleet continues to be the centre of much industry discussion. With capacity challenges, increasing demand for new building programs, and economic pressures at the forefront of the industry’s concerns, this presentation will offer a market update of the current MPV fleet and review of the forward schedule to identify any crunch points in supply, highlighting where the industry will need to forward plan to navigate through any shortages.

Following directly on from the previous session’s fleet update, this panel will explore the reasons behind some of the critical issues raised, and how carriers plan to address them. Capacity, newbuild programs, price building and the latest international regulations will all be covered.

With huge opportunities for the breakbulk market developing in West Africa, an emerging trend sees African companies opening in Dubai, looking to facilitate routes. However, dealing with multiple countries’ authorities can be complex, and knowing what to expect is key. This session offers an in-depth look at opportunities and challenges for project activity in the region.

Registration required. Further information to follow.

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Click here for more information about the Chartering Workshop

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Students will be taken on a guided tour of the show floor by Heriot-Watt University post-graduate students. They will have the chance to speak with a variety of different companies covering the entire supply chain; discovering what a career in breakbulk can look like, as well as more opportunities that are out there for students.   

Congestion is one of the biggest issues facing the industry today: every supply chain stakeholder is affected by delays in transit time and cargo delivery. The knock-on effect from geopolitical situations, strikes, port inefficiency, lack of warehousing space and fleet monopoly is not just on project movement, but rates too – even a small delay can add up to millions of dollars’ worth of additional costs. This session will deep dive into innovative solutions to tackle congestion.

The talent gap problem is not going away: it’s a serious issue. So once you have hired someone talented and bursting with potential, what’s the best way to keep them on your team? How can you keep them engaged and motivated in a job-hopping economy? Based on research conducted by Breakbulk magazine, find out what young professionals are really looking for in their career, why it matters, and where we go from here.