2025 Day 1 Highlights Test Page

Dea Chincuanco

President – Americas

dship Carriers Americas

Dea Chincuanco is an accomplished expert in the maritime industry, bringing over two decades of experience to her role as President for dship Carriers Americas in Houston. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Dea immigrated to the US as a teenager and holds a Bachelor's degree in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from the University of Houston and a Global MBA from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. She is a passionate advocate for diversity, equality, and inclusion. As a proud mother of two amazing children, she is determined to make a difference in both her industry and the world around her.

Guillermina del Pino

Head of Project Logistics Americas

Siemens Energy Inc

Guillermina del Pino is a global logistics leader, with 24 years of experience in the field. She is responsible for Siemens Energy Project Logistics Americas, working to drive success both on planning and project execution.
  
Guillermina has lived in Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, currently resides in the US, and has seen firsthand how strong partnerships, diversity and teamwork leads not only to greater results and people engagement, but also increases the sense of belonging within organizations. 
Guillermina enjoys hiking, crafting, and traveling.

 

Henrik Hansen

General Manager

AAL Shipping (AAL) Americas

Henrik is responsible for the strategic development of AAL Americas, overseeing the premium multipurpose project heavy lift carrier’s operations and commercial activity across the continent, and managing its busy schedule of regular monthly cargo sailings into and out of the region.

Henrik began his shipping career in 1984 In Denmark and progressed through the commercial and chartering ranks of several well-known global carriers in both Europe and the US, before joining AAL in 2015 as Commercial Manager. 

In October 2022, Henrik was promoted to General Manager of the entire Americas continent and has spearheaded AAL’s development into one of the most prolific and trusted multipurpose project heavy lift carriers.

 

Captain Bill Schubert

President

International Trade & Transportation, Inc

Captain Schubert has dedicated nearly the entirety of his career to the export trade financing and 
shipping industries. In 1995, he established IT&T to provide tied ECA consulting services to 
project sponsors and their financial advisors, EPC contractors, and lending institutions.

He was a cofounder of the US Exporters Competitive Maritime Council (ECMC) in 1998 and continues to receive accolades for his leadership in the industry.  Captain Schuber had the honor to receive the Breakbulk Lifetime Achievement Award.  The United States Senate unanimously confirmed the President's nomination of Captain Schubert as Maritime Administrator on December 6. 2001, and he continues on a bipartisan basis to advocate for sound US Maritime Policies. 
 

John Amos

President

Amos Logistics

John Amos is an international logistics and transportation consultant specializing in issues related to planning, operations and regulatory issues. His experience encompasses the fields of ocean, air and surface transportation. For more than 45 years he has had international and North American positions in the fields of logistics, procurement and construction management

Gautham Krishnan

Global Category Manager – Logistics

Fluor

Gautham works with Fluor’s global logistics and supply chain function. He is a qualified Naval Architect from Cochin University of Science & Technology and holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. Gautham is experienced in leading Project Logistics Challenges. He has worked towards packaging project logistics solutions, heavylift engineering challenges and leads initiatives in market research and digital transformation. He has also worked in Business Development, M&A and Government consulting prior to Fluor. He was bestowed with the 30-under-30  Supply Chain Rising Star Award by Institute of Supply Management, US and the 40-Under-40 Global recognition by Antwerp XL in 2023.
 
Fluor provides professional and technical solutions that deliver safe, well-executed, capital-efficient projects to clients around the world. For more than 100 years, Fluor has provided engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services that are the essential building blocks of development and progress. With world-class expertise in engineering, technology, supply chain, programme management, and construction management, Fluor is a leader in the global construction industry and is ranked No. 196 on the Fortune® 500 list. Fluor’s 41,000 employees active in over 60 countries provide deep experience in engineering, technology, supply chain, programme management, and construction management. Fluor has the knowledge and reach to tackle tough challenges, delivering projects on time, within budget, and with an outstanding HSE record.

 

Ben Collins

Global Project Cargo Manager

MSC

Ben Collins leads a dedicated global team which provides Breakbulk and out-of-gauge services and first-class project cargo management, powered by MSC's growing infrastructure and fleet of over 900 vessels. 
 
Building on five decades of MSC’s experience of shipping oversized freight, Ben injects his own personal and successful execution in this specialized sector to cement MSC's position as a leading and trusted provider of project cargo services.  

Following two decades at MSC UK, where Ben held management positions in Operational and Commercial departments, he is now based at MSC’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and proudly leads a team of specialized project cargo personnel. MSC has 675 offices across 155 countries worldwide, offering more than 300 trade routes and calling 520 ports, in addition to its strong portfolio of Intermodal and Logistics solutions.  
 

Christian Ohlrich

Global Director – Logistics

Fluence - A Siemens and AES Company

Originally from Germany, Christian earned a BBA in Finance and an MBA from Kennesaw State University in Georgia. With over 15 years of global logistics experience, he has advanced to the position of Director of Global Logistics at Fluence Energy, gaining experience at large freight forwarders, Delta Air Lines, and Carrier Corporation. At Fluence Energy, he oversees transportation procurement, global warehousing operations and procurement, global trade compliance, and global operations policy.

Christian, along with his team, is helping transform Fluence Energy from a standard ocean freight shipper to a heavy-haul, breakbulk type shipper in less than 12 months.
 

Diana Davila

Senior VP of US Operations

UTC Overseas, Inc.

Industry Panel, Women in Breakbulk

Diana Davila, a luminary in the logistics and freight forwarding sector, boasts over 30 years of impactful leadership. Currently the Sr. Vice President of US Operations at UTC Overseas, Inc. in Houston, she orchestrates collaborative efforts across the UTC Global network to achieve operational excellence. Diana's extensive experience spans large-scale projects globally, including the U.S., Middle East, Asia, Gulf of America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Her operational acumen enhances workflow efficiencies, client services, and overall customer satisfaction across all modes of transport. A dedicated advocate for diversity and inclusion, Diana contributes significantly to industry growth.

She is the founder of a Non-Profit Women in Logistics Leadership, a Steering Committee Member of the ISPM 15 Coalition, and holds leadership roles in various organizations, including the CSCMP Houston Round Table and as Chairperson for the Exporters Competitive Maritime Council. Diana is committed to shaping the future of the logistics and supply chain industry through mentorship and leadership initiatives.

Pablo Hanacek

Head of Industrial Projects

DHL Global Forwarding Argentina

Pablo brings an impressive 27 years of industry experience, across various countries. His expertise goes from operations, general management, business development, to project management. As current Head of Industrial Projects in Argentina & IP Commercial Director for the Americas, Pablo's customer-centric approach and entrepreneurial mindset have been instrumental in achieving exponential growth.

Dennis Devlin

Managing Director – USA

DT Project America

Dennis Devlin is Managing Director, DT Project America, a project logistics provider and asset based trucking company.  DT Project is a subsidiary of the larger DIMOTRANS Group, headquartered in France. Dennis has spent most of his career in various roles in project logistics.

Prior to his current role he held various roles with Maersk Project Logistics.  He also held various positions for BDP International (now PSA-BDP) in Philadelphia, at BDP’s corporate headquarters, in Shanghai where he had regional responsibility for project logistics in Asia, and later in Houston.  He also worked previously in the Panprojects Division of Panalpina,  for DB Schenker and for GEODIS. 
 
Dennis also serves on the Editorial Board of Breakbulk Magazine and on the Advisory Board for the Breakbulk Americas Conference.  He has been a past speaker at various Breakbulk Americas Conferences since the early 2000s.

Dennis is a native of Wilmington, Delaware, and a 1987 honors graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, with degrees in Economics and Political Science.  He also pursued studies in Glasgow, Scotland, where he struggled to understand Glaswegian English; in Paris, France where he studied (and learned) French; and in Taipei, Taiwan and Shanghai, China, where he studied Mandarin Chinese.

Kevin Kwateng

Founder & CEO

Project Logistics

Kevin Kwateng, P.Eng. is Founder & CEO of Project Logistics, an engineering firm with specialized manpower and experienced engineers dedicated to supporting transport companies, freight forwarders, and manufacturers. Project Logistics provides expert transport engineering, project management, and hands-on execution for complex heavy haul and oversized cargo movements, primarily across North America, but with global reach.

Kevin led North America’s first transportation of 107-meter wind turbine blades—the continent’s longest—and managed numerous rapid bridge replacements with SPMT and jack-and-slide technologies, including a Million Pound Bridge near Montreal. His portfolio spans major infrastructure projects such as the Champlain Bridge, R.E.M. Train System, and Turcot Interchange, as well as work across the wind, energy, oil & gas, power generation, mining, and manufacturing industries.

Project Logistics is on a mission to make engineering accessible by creating innovative technologies that boost efficiency and confidence. Their platforms, like HeavyGoods, which streamlines axle load calculations and permit planning, and SiteScan, which accelerates site and route assessments, are just the beginning of a new wave of tools transforming heavy transport worldwide.


 

Dr. Salvatore R. Mercogliano

Maritime Historian, Campbell University & Podcast Host, What’s Going On With Shipping?

Dr. Salvatore R. Mercogliano is a maritime historian, associate professor, and former merchant mariner, widely recognized for his expertise in maritime history and policy. He earned a B.S. in Marine Transportation from the State University of New York Maritime College in 1989, along with a merchant marine deck officer license (unlimited tonnage 2nd mate), and sailed with the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, including service as a 3rd Mate on the USNS Comfort during the Persian Gulf War. Furthering his education, he obtained an M.A. in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology from East Carolina University and a Ph.D. in Military and Naval History from the University of Alabama. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the Department of History, Criminal Justice, and Political Science at Campbell University in North Carolina. Mercogliano has been honored twice as Campbell’s Professor of the Year and received the Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Award. He is also an adjunct professor at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, teaching Maritime Industry Policy, and serves as a trustee for the National Maritime Historical Society and council member of the North American Society for Oceanic History.
 
Beyond academia, Dr. Mercogliano is a prominent commentator on maritime affairs, gaining widespread recognition through his YouTube channel, What’s Going on With Shipping?, launched in 2021 following the Suez Canal blockage by the MV Ever Given. His engaging analyses of global shipping trends, maritime trade, and industry challenges have made him a respected voice, with media appearances on BBC, CNN, NPR, Al Jazeera, and others. A prolific writer, he has authored Fourth Arm of Defense: Sealift and Maritime Logistics in the Vietnam War and published articles in Sea History, Naval History, Proceedings, and gCaptain. Additionally, Mercogliano is a North Carolina certified firefighter, EMT, and rescue technician, serving as a captain focused on training. Married to Lieutenant Commander Kathy Mercogliano, a former shipmate, he resides in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, and continues to bridge historical scholarship with contemporary maritime issues through his teaching, writing, and public commentary.

 

Geanean Ordonez

Project Logistics Manager, Procurement

Technip Energies

Industry Panel, Women in Breakbulk

My husband and I celebrated 26 years of marriage this year, and we have 2 boys (15 and 19 years of age). I have been in the logistics industry for 20 years, starting in 2005 as a logistics coordinator for a small 3PL company in Los Angeles. I joined Technip Energies as a Project Logistics Manager in 2023 and have had the opportunity to manage several successful large-scale EPC projects.

John Hark

Director

Bertling Logistics Services, Inc

John has been in the Houston maritime industry for over 30 years and holds Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Maritime Business Administration and Logistics from Texas A&M. He started with Bertling in 2002 as Director of North America Vessel Operations. After moving to Bertling’s logistics division, he held various management roles within North and South America. He is currently the North America Chartering Director. John has also been an Adjunct Professor with Texas A&M University since 2002. 

Active in various industry and education initiatives, John is the current President of the Houston Maritime Arbitrators Association, sits on advisory councils for Houston Maritime Center & Museum, Lone Star College, Houston Community College, TSU and San Jacinto College and is a board member of the Port Houston Partners in Maritime Education nonprofit organization and the International Propeller Club.

In April 2020, he founded the Houston Supply Chain/Logistics Education Collective to proactively minimize the logistics industry talent gap and foster industry relationships with educators and students in the Greater Houston region.
 

Vedran Muratbegovic

SVP, Industrial

Wallenius Wilhelmsen

Vedran Muratbegovic has been with Wallenius Wilhelmsen for 19 years and has gained multicultural, and cross-functional leadership experience across several regions with the company. In June 2025, he was appointed in a global leadership role as the SVP, Breakbulk, Spot, Liner Customers and Sales Support. 

In his previous role, Vedran was the Region Chair and Head of Sales for region Oceania which he held between 2021 and 2025. 

Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to live and work in Australia, Germany, Japan, and the UK, gaining valuable international experience. During this time, he contributed to implementing, guiding, and shaping global sales strategies across a broad portfolio of group brands, products, and services.

He holds an International Business degree, majoring in Finance, from RMIT University in Melbourne and has completed various leadership programs.

 

Ximena Fernández

Functional Material Management Lead for South America

Fluor Corporation Chile

Ximena Fernández is a seasoned Logistics Professional with almost two decades of experience in logistics and material management leadership. Currently serving as Functional Material Management Lead for South America, she drives strategic sourcing for one of the World’s key mining locations at Fluor Corporation Chile.

Her career spans pivotal roles at Quellaveco, MARA, Vicuña, Centinela, Sierra Gorda among other projects. Ximena is known for her ability to translate client needs into actionable strategies, optimize supply chains, and foster cross-functional collaboration.

With a strong foundation in logistics and material management, Ximena brings a holistic approach to the mining industry balancing operational efficiency with client-centric needs. Her passion for building resilient teams and delivering measurable impact has made her a trusted leader in the industry.
 

Felix F. Holder

Practice Lead Industrial Projects

EIMC

Felix works for the well-known Global Supply Chain Expert EIMC, LLC, out of Houston, Texas and has worked in the logistics/maritime industry for over 25 years.  He graduated his Maritime Studies with a B.Sc. from University of Applied Sciences, Elsfeth, Germany and obtained his M.Sc. from University of Plymouth, UK in 2025.  He is a certified member of the National Association of Marine Surveyors.

Felix’ focus is in the Risk Management sector as well as the Cargo surveying field.  He is an integral leader of the team supplying expertise to the Marine Insurance and Logistics Industry and prior to coming to the United States, worked as a surveyor all over the world.