The annual Bulk Terminals conference always starts with an in-depth, sector by sector analysis of bulk markets.
RESPONDING TO THE NEW AGE OF CHAOS is the theme of Bulk Terminals Marseille. Our first two speakers perfectly set the scene for the rest of the session – and indeed the whole conference.
Louis Borer, Senior Analyst at Risk Intelligence opens the session with Geopolitical tensions impacting the global bulk trade. Both on land and at sea, the international geopolitical context has deteriorated significantly since the war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza. The substantial increase in the threat at sea in several maritime areas and strategic choke points through which international maritime trade flows results in not just in rerouting and delays, but possible changes in the choice of unloading and loading terminals.
Sean Fairley, Principal Consultant, Drewry continues with an Impact on bulk markets of the US tariff regime – an update on the fallout of the Trump Administration’s launch of tariff regimes, resulting in retaliation and the new era of trade wars which has sent shock waves through the markets. For the dry bulk market, the implications of the trade wars are potentially significant. In the short-term global tariffs will restrain demand. In the longer term, these tariffs will prompt a strategic redirection of trade routes, impacting dry bulk terminals.
Pablo Rodas-Martini, Director of Market Intelligence, Emerging & Frontier follows this theme in The trade of iron ore in hectic times when countries are protecting their steel industries. Although the steel trade has always been a contentious issue, the US’s imposition of high tariffs has exacerbated tensions in the sector like never before. Is the heated rhetoric on steel threats having repercussions for the global iron ore trade?
Will Tooth, Senior Dry Bulk Analyst, SSY will examine the Changing patterns of the coal trade. Will Tooth, Senior Dry Bulk Analyst, SSY. Despite several countries around the world turning away from coal as an energy source, it remains a key dry bulk commodity. Nevertheless, trading patterns shift with a potential impact on bulk terminal throughput.
Sylvie Doutres Ghizzo, Associate & Joint Managing Director, DSG Consultants will for the first time at our conference give us an Overview of cementitious trade, which as well as cement and clinker includes other binders and supplementary materials such as granulated slag and fly ash. Over the past five years, two major factors have reshaped cementitious trade flows and consequent terminal activity: the industry’s drive toward decarbonisation and the geopolitical and economic turmoil around the Mediterranean Rim.
Lisa Schmidt, Secretary General, International Biomass Torrefaction and Carbonisation Council (ITBC) introduces another first for the conference in her presentation: Circular biocarbon – the easiest pathway to substitute fossil carbon in all coal applications. While biocarbon is primarily used as a coal substitute for energywith numerous technology providers in the market, the number of industrial-scale plants is rapidly growing as it is increasingly applied in processing industries and as an intermediary for further processing.
Cara Hatton, Dry Bulk Analyst, SSY explains that while Trump’s trade war has added a fresh round of uncertainty to the already turbulent few years, especially for the prospects of the seasonal fourth quarter US-China soybean trade, structural changes appear to be taking place in global Grain markets, affecting terminal throughput.
A FULL PROGRAMME at Marseille will offer terminals practical solutions to the challenges they face, with other sessions covering: Operations Improving safety Cyber security Ensuring environmental compliance
SEE THE BROCHURE from the link on the EVENTS page of our website.
