The much awaited debut of Lima as the venue for the seventeenth version of the container terminal and operations conference has finally arrived. Monday October 16 will be the official kick-off of the event’s activities with a port tour of the two most important port operators: North Dock, operated by APM Terminals and South Dock, operated by DP World.
Attendees will be able to visit both ports’ facilities and see the wide cargo variety and volume handled in one of the key ports in the west coast of South America, the reason why Callao was chosen for this year’s venue. TOC Events director, Paul Holloway, commented exclusively for MundoMaritimo saying “we are very excited to be in Peru, because we’ve always wanted to be here and now is the right time. We have a fairly high expectation because local support has been outstanding. We’ve received support from port authority, all of the major terminal operators and all of the relevant media associations. It really makes a difference.”
Precisely, the fishing and aquaculture Vice Minister and representative for the production ministry of the National Port Authority, Héctor Soldi, will be delivering the keynote speech along with Edgar Patiño, APN president.

Historic debut
The first ever TOC Americas in Peru is breaking all kinds of records, with a large amount of registered delegates, in some cases even more than previous versions of the event. In that line, one of the key aspects of choosing a venue is for the location to be an internationally attractive destination, not only for the regional business community, but also for the rest of the industry on a global level and, in that sense, Peru has been a welcome surprise, Holloway says.
Also, attendance looks to be quite balanced, with an even amount of representatives of all areas of interest for the cargo transport industry: terminal operators, carriers, 3PLs and port authorities from all around Latin America, so the entire regional community is represented.

Presentations and exhibition
The three track conference will keep attendees busy during the three days of presentations and exhibition. From the now classic Container Supply Chain (CSC) and TECH TOC to the innovative TOC Bulk, delegates and representatives will acquire a complete vision of how the container transport market operates in the region, the challenges and technological improvements and the growing business of bulk cargo.
As a matter of fact, the TOC Bulk conference debut is no coincidence. As the most recent product from TOC Events, the parallel conference on bulk cargo has a special relevance thanks to the port of Callao, a multipurpose port serving diverse supply chains, including general cargo such as metals, grains, fertilizers, chemicals, coal, vegetable and fish oils, machinery and more.
2020 outlook
Panama will host the 2018 edition, a TOC Events ‘classic’ location that prizes itself in its strategic position in maritime transport. But, by 2020 Miami or even a port in Colombia could be contending for position as venues, as the event always looks for a port that can attract a more international crowd across all areas of interest in the maritime transport business. Of course, the radar is always on the lookout for the industry’s ‘hot spots’ where action is happening. “Our goal is to always look for hot ports that have something interesting to report and offer an attractive destination so that we can maximize our audience,” adds Holloway.

The value of networking
The executive also pointed out the importance of the networking activities that allow for more relaxed opportunities to create contacts among industry players and discuss present and future challenges in an environment of social camaraderie. TOC Americas 2017 has three nights of cocktails and dinners especially organized for the community, adding value to recreation activities in business events as part of the Latin culture.
Welcome drinks at the Westin Hotel before the inauguration of the conference, dinner at the Dutch Embassy and a cocktail hosted by the National Port Authority are the social events to look forward to at the evenings after a complete day of learning about what’s to come in the local and global industry.
The seventeenth version of TOC Americas will be held at the Westin Hotel & Convention Center, Lima, October 17-19.

It is a large conference, we have received many registrations and it has been a surprise because it is our first time in Peru, so we are very excited looking forward to what is to come. We have a good mix of terminal operators, carriers, 3PLs, port authorities, largely from Latam. The whole of Latin America is represented here.

What do you see as the greatest challenge in Latam for the coming year?

Peru local market:
It is a positive outlook, a lot of public-private investment going into the ports and terminals and infrastructure and international investment seems to be a belief in this region, strategic location for the supply chain.
Its west coast location benefiting from both import and export cargo flows; the growth in the amount of cargo that this region is processing is an upturn..

Next year is Panama, historic location, more American, international destination for this show, that is why we have been there so many times. Miami is on the horizon, because it is a place where Latin American delegates travel to. We need to attract a large crowd, with that in mind, Miami is one of those places, Colombia, but a lot depends on what goes on the market in this time. Hot ports that have something interesting to report and offer an attractive destination so that we can maximize our audience.

International flavour

TOC BULK is a new product that we have rolled out accross other TOC events, we are looking for new content and we are the terminal operations conference after all. It is a major port in the south cone and country. Clients offer multipurpose services and products, so BULK is also relevant for them.

This has the most extensive networking program that I’ve ever seen in terms of the amount of opportunity people will have to meet outside the formal conference environment.
As an attendee you can expect to learn, debate and network.

TOC Americas