14th Busan International Port Conference opens Sept. 15

CEOs of Europe's top 3 container ports, LA port among attendees

'Busan Port Declaration' to be announced on eve of conference

Busan Port Authority will host the 14th Busan International Port Conference at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center for two days starting Sept. 15. [Busan Port Authority]
Busan Port Authority will host the 14th Busan International Port Conference at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center for two days starting Sept. 15. [Busan Port Authority]

The 14th Busan International Port Conference (BIPC 2026) will be held at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX) from Sept. 15 to Sept. 16.

Busan Port Authority (BPA) said Tuesday that the conference, held under the theme "Beyond Planning to Action: Innovation Leading an Era of Change," will mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of Busan Port and will draw the largest number of global port CEOs in the event's history — including the heads of Europe's three largest container ports and the Port of Los Angeles, the largest container port in the United States.

Senior officials from major international organizations will also participate as speakers, moderators and panelists, including representatives from the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

On Monday, the day before the conference opens, a Port CEO Roundtable bringing together leading port chiefs from around the world will be held for the first time. Participants are expected to discuss shared challenges facing global ports amid a rapidly shifting logistics environment and to announce the "Busan Port Declaration," a statement of commitment to action through innovation and solidarity.

A special session introduced this year, organized in partnership with the IAPH and ADB, will bring together ports and international organizations to share experiences and policy directions on key issues and explore ways to translate those discussions into concrete cooperation.

The main conference will cover a broad range of topics including uncertainty in global shipping markets, decarbonization, AI, port safety and Arctic shipping routes. The first day will feature sessions on container shipping resilience in an era of volatility, new horizons in port decarbonization, and AI beyond digital transformation. The second day will take up on-the-ground port safety management and charting a course toward the future of Arctic shipping routes.

"This year's BIPC, held to mark the 150th anniversary of Busan Port, will not be an event that stops at declarations — we will make it a starting point that leads to concrete cooperation and action," BPA President Song Sang-geun said.


alsgp9737@heraldcorp.com