In a world that is increasingly troubled by geopolitical tensions, economic instability, natural disasters and climate-related risk, business survival will depend ever more on resilience, flexibility, efficiency and sustainability.

Ports throughout Latin America, not least in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Peru are upgrading and expanding their infrastructure and starting to experience sustained growth while shipping lines are adjusting their trade patterns to reshape how cargo flows into and out of the region.

Panama, with its two planned container transshipment terminals and intra-oceanic gas pipeline, is not alone in seeking to diversify in order to secure long-term growth in an uncertain world. Recovering strongly from the drought of 2024 that severely affected Panama Canal transits and cargo volumes, Panama is busy turning itself into an energy corridor, a global trade and logistics hub.

And despite the uncertainty following the postponement of the vote on the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework, the development of new fuels and new markets remains high on the list of priorities for many countries.

The week will feature a flagship conference, alternative fuels training, a hands-on visit to a bunker barge, and the spectacular networking events that are a staple of Maritime Week Americas.

Maritime Week Americas (MWA26) will examine the geopolitical and economic turmoil that is troubling the maritime sector but will also look at the developing infrastructure that will drive it forward. The growing availability and market acceptance of new fuels, from LNG and LPG to biofuels and alcohols, will be discussed, as will efficiencies driven by the digitalisation of the shipping and bunkering sectors.

The three-day, all-inclusive BunkerExperience course presents an unparalleled combination of theory and real-world experience in bunkering operations.

The morning classroom sessions are geared towards preparing students to make the most of the afternoon’s “real-life” experience, which includes working on a bunker barge, taking part in activities inside a test lab, and going “out to sea” to observe different types of ships up close.

BunkerExperience guarantees a solid introduction, both intellectual and practical, to the three most important operational elements of the bunker business.

This one day workshop will focus on bunkering from a practical, hands-one angle, where lived experience of handling fuels, complying to regulations and standards, learning the tricks of the trade and pitfalls of using traditional and new fuels are shared and discussed. This workshop is based on the briefing information that Bureau Veritas shares with its clients.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to ethanol, from U.S. agricultural feedstocks and production pathways through to its practical application as a marine fuel. Participants will explore the land use debate, lifecycle emissions performance, global production volumes and supply chains, and the policy frameworks shaping ethanol markets, including the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

This course is included in the Conference Delegate price. To secure your place, kindly register your interest by visiting the programme page below.

The Maritime Week Americas 2026 exhibition offers you all the benefits of a networking environment in which you can consolidate existing, and develop new, business relationships. Use this opportunity to acquire new leads and build your brand by booking a table top exhibition space.