Panama City · May 7–8, 2026
MCA 2026
Academic Agenda
Maritime Chamber Annual Conference · Preliminary Program
* Program subject to updates
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Protocol and Global Leadership
Registration
Networking Coffee Break
Opening Ceremony
Gerardo Bósquez · President, MCA 2026 Organizing Committee
René Gómez · President, Panama Maritime Chamber
H.E. Arsenio Domínguez · Secretary General, International Maritime Organization (IMO)
H.E. José Raúl Mulino · President of the Republic of Panama
Welcome Address for the Plenary Session
Sergio Bacci · President, Transpetro
Plenary Session: Securing Global Trade and Maritime Transportation in an Age of Uncertainty
Moderator: Orlando Allard · Panama Maritime Chamber
Arsenio Domínguez · Secretary General, International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Tim Wilkins · Managing Director, Intertanko
Dafne Anghelidis · WISTA International EXCO Member
Thomas Kazakos · Secretary General, International Chamber of Shipping
David Loosley · Secretary General & CEO, BIMCO
Trade Under Pressure: The Commercial Reality of Shipping
Paul Pathy · President & CEO, Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO)
Building Resilient Energy Supply Chains in an Era of Geopolitical Uncertainty
Tim Wilkins · Managing Director, Intertanko
Juan Diego Reyna · President, Panamanian Shipowners Association (introductory remarks)
Decarbonization of the Maritime Sector: Current Situation
H.E. Ginette Testa · Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Panama to the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Maximizing Fleet Performance: Technical and Operational Strategies for Energy Optimization
Moderator: Aládar Rodríguez Díaz
Jesús Ortega · Master Marine, APOM
Gabriel Fuentes · Associate Professor, Norwegian School of Economics
Edilberto Peralta · Commercial Manager, Lloyd's Register
Maritime Digitalisation: Can We Achieve Global Interoperability Without Compromising Security or Losing Control?
Peter Phillips · Founder & Director, Maritime Passport
Comfort Break
Colón Free Trade Zone: Connecting the Americas
Dovi Eisenman · President, Colón Free Trade Zone Chamber of Commerce
How Maritime Governance Incorporates Multilateral Environmental Agreements
Juan Lorenzo Castillo Paulino · Head of the Mining Department, General Directorate of Customs of the Dominican Republic
Geopolitics and Global Trade: 2026 Update
Lucas Gastaldi · Partner, McKinsey Panama
Friday, May 8, 2026
Strategy and Sustainability
Registration & Networking
Opening Remarks
René Gómez · President, Panama Maritime Chamber
David Loosley · Secretary General & CEO, BIMCO
National Maritime Strategy
Rodolfo Sabonge · Director General of National Planning, Institute for Development Planning (MEF)
Panama Canal Authority — Revenue Diversification Program
Rafael Pirro · Ancillary Activities Development Officer, Panama Canal Authority (ACP)
Modernization, Sustainability and Cooperation: The Panamanian Model in the Fisheries Sector
Eduardo Carrasquilla · Administrator General, Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama (ARAP)
Merchant Marine
Ramón Franco · Director General of Merchant Marine, Panama Maritime Authority (AMP)
Coffee Break & Visit to the Exhibition Area
Beyond the Horizon: Forging Ahead Through Uncertainty
Thomas Kazakos · Secretary General, International Chamber of Shipping
CSA's Strategies and Vision for Regional Maritime Development in the Short and Medium Term
Milaika Capella Ras · General Manager, Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA)
Future Ports in a Changing World: Dutch Innovation for a Sustainable and Connected Maritime Future
Erik Plaisier · Regional Business Developer for Latin America, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Training & Talent: Facing Industry Challenges
Mercedes Pardo · CEO, Spanish Maritime Institute (IME)
Víctor Luna Barahona · President, International Maritime University of Panama (introductory remarks)
Decarbonization in Maritime Transport: A Perspective of Transpetro's Ship Fleet
Jones Soares · Director, Transpetro
H.E. Rubén Argüelles Sánchez · Consul of Panama in Rio de Janeiro (introductory remarks)
The Future of Maritime Regulation: Balancing Innovation, Safety and Global Trade
Hugo Canella · Account Manager for Brazil, Panama, Guyana & Suriname, Lloyd's Register Latin America
Global Gateway Green Shipping Corridors and Hubs: Feasibility Study of the Green and Digital Corridor Algeciras–Panama
Moderator: Dr. Arthur James Rivas · External Energy Transition Expert, EU Delegation to Panama
Matteo Banti · EU Regional Cooperation Head to Costa Rica, Panama and Central America
Beatriz González · Decarbonization Specialist, Panama Canal Authority (ACP)
Juan Pablo Pérez · Head of Port Planning, Port of Algeciras Bay Authority (APBA)
Financing Challenges and Opportunities for the Maritime Sector
Moderator: Beatriz Castillo · Assistant Vice President of Corporate Banking, Maritime Financing Specialist.
Raúl Arosemena · Vice President, Corporate Banking, BAC Panamá
Fausto Arroyo · Principal Executive – Specialist in Transport, Logistics and Regional Integration, CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Maricruz Rodríguez · Commercial Manager, Caja de Ahorros
Closing Plenary & Networking Cocktail
