OceanX AGM #como2024 Event Report

OceanX, the innovation focused, seafreight specialist network, brought its members and some selected guests together on November 6-9, 2024 in Como, Italy for their 6th Annual General Meeting – and it was magical!

About last week in Como…. 

Just back but still flashed from the amazing week in Italy, bringing some impressive individuals together in a magical location. The bar was high after our #KUL2024 event in Kuala Lumpur last year, has been a great success, but Italy did not disappoint. And that is and remains first and foremost down to the great people we had coming in for the conference this year, remaining selective on who is part of this group is part of what makes it special. The beauty of Como as a location, the great weather have been a catalyst for connections among the people.

After catching up with some early birds for delicious Pizza on November 5th already, localisation in Italy and adjusting to to the scene was smooth and easy, allowing a flying start the day after, where most delegates arrived and despite some travel issues on planes and trains, with big smiles on their faces as the sun kept shining over the lake and the mountains around. Following checkin at our venue at the Hilton Como and picking up their iconic bags with the delegate package at registration, members and guests got ready for our opening night at the Villa Carminati Resta. Tasting some delicious Italian wines, watching Burrata being made and eating some Italian specialities, old friends were reunited and new connections were being made.

Despite the risk of over-entertainment the night before, a good group of athletes started our first conference day with a 5k morning run along the lake and through the old town of Como, heading out into the fresh air and the sunrise over the lake. Strengthened with nice breakfast, delegates assembled in the conference room for some exciting presentations.

Starting off, OceanX founder & director Ruben HUBER took the stage to welcome the delegates, run through the agenda of the event and outline the vision and approach of OceanX to those that have been joining for the first time. He followed up with an overview on the shipping & logistics market of 2024 and some expectations for 2025. Going deeper into some interesting trends, innovations and opportunities, concluding with some important dates for the next year.

Valentina RICCI, from Italian OceanX member Euro Lanes, thereafter gave the audience an overview on the Italian shipping and logistics market, major gateways and the particulars of the 8th largest economy on the planet. Thereafter Daniela GHIMP from Drewry Shipping Consultants in London showed what to expect for the 2025 container shipping market, including Drewry’s projections for the supply demand balance in the upcoming year. The firm has chosen some darker scenarios, anticipating the Red Sea crisis and deviation around the cape of good hope to last for the entire year and strikes on the US East & Gulf coast likely to become a reality, both factors leading to even higher rates than 2024 and likely having carriers deliver an even better result than 2024. The impact of the Trump factor on global trade, that had become a reality on the morning of the conference start, still to be seen. Industry legend and Reefer technology innovator Alfred CHEUNG afterwards took the audience for a ride through the current cool chain logistics market, the significant growth in reefer volumes and the opportunities on cold chain storage, before looking into several last mile and fulfilment innovations.

After a refreshing coffee break on the terrace, taking in the beauty of our venue and networking with the other delegates, the morning continued with a captivating lecture by Professor Johannes KERN from DHBW in Germany on Innovation and Transformation. He was followed by digital pioneer Charles MARRALE from ExFreight Zeta LLC, sharing his best practices of 16 years on the leading edge of digital sales. Gaurav BAJAJ from Solvo.ai took the stage after him, putting the spotlight on the subject of pricing, which the forwarding history still has not reinvented, as it continues to be driven by cost plus approaches, customer feedback or comparison to competition. Thus outlining the potential role for artificial intelligence in taking new and better informed approaches to building selling prices, enabling higher margins and growing success rates. The tech sessions concluded when Philipp CURAN from Forwarding Digital took the stage to outline how their leaner and simpler solution is taking a new approach to forwarding software. Featuring an API marketplace easily plugging in solutions, instead of getting lost in complexity and costly customisations.

The morning also included interesting introductions to several of our new members that joined during 2024, like Canadian Canaan Group, Spanish Trans Sese, Dubai based EVOL, American AJ Worldwide, Brazilian Fast Shipping and French Herport Group. Each sharing their values, company culture and focus.

Following lunch, the delegates started into exciting One2One meeting sessions over the afternoon, in the meeting room and on our sunny terrace, deepening discussions. Before heading out for cocktails & music, taking over the LUCE bar in Como and closing the evening casually.

Friday started again with an early run, with a record number of runners coming out, fighting hangover and greeting the sunlight heading out along the lake for another 5K. The day thereafter was dedicated again to go deeper into the individual, existing cooperations and the establishment of new partnerships in One2One meetings. And the hard working day concluded with a delicious Italian gala dinner in the historic ballroom of the Antica Darsena Restaurant at the shores of lake Como. A very happy night that included closing the tab far beyond the allocated bottles of wine…

On Saturday morning at 06.00 hrs a small but fierce group of attendees took on the vertical challenge and ran up to Como’s Faro Lightower on top of a local mountain, passing along Brunate and down again after, 15 kilometres of sweat and pleasure. Just back in time to catch up with the other members for an interesting walking tour for the city of Como, learning a lot about the history of this European silk city, Alessandro Volta’s innovations and the beautiful architecture. Thereafter celebrating the conclusion of an amazing event with some delicious Italian Gelato!

Thank you all for coming and making this a memorable experience, we are sure the bonds forged during this conference again will yield in a lot of business with and much learning from each other! See you next year in Saudi Arabia!

  Presenations, videos and pictures will be shared with delegates shortly!

About OceanX

OceanX is a non – exclusive global network of leading ocean freight providers and NVOCCs dedicated to delivering bespoke innovative solutions, in particular on FCL services, LCL consolidation, dangerous goods and chemical logistics, temperature control, as well as project cargo handling.

Share