Business of Shipping – 19 February 2026

The Business of Shipping Conference returns to the Wosk Centre for Dialogue in Vancouver on February 19, 2026 for a full day of candid conversations about the forces shaping marine shipping today.

This is where cargo meets commerce, policy meets practice, and operations faces reality. Covering bulk and energy exports, to containerized trade, the program dives into how real supply chains work – the good, the bad, and the occasionally very complicated.

Expect a strong lineup of industry leaders, regulatory authorities, terminal operators, service providers, labour associations and operators who live the business of shipping every day. Discussions will span global market shifts to local operational realities, delivering insights you can put to work.

And yes, there will be excellent networking, serious learning, and probably at least one discussion that starts with “Well, that’s not how it works on paper…”

Whether you’re an owner, agent, charterer, terminal, service provider, policymaker, or simply someone who just loves ships, this is the room you want to be in.

Topics and guest speakers include:

• Sean Baxter – Director of Marine Ops and Harbour Master – Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
  • Active Vessel Traffic Management and Integration of Port Operations
• Brook Walker – Director of Operations – SAAM Towage Canada
  • Towage Operations in Western Canada – Challenges and Opportunities
• Ashley Wilson – Officer-in-Charge, Marine Communications and Traffic Services, Prince Rupert
  • Marine Domain Awareness and MCTS Operations Overview
• Nick Willcox – Terminal Manager – G3 Terminal, Vancouver
  • Grain Terminal Operations Overview
• Lindsay Familton – Sr. Director, Workforce Operations & Business Excellence – BC Maritime Employers Association
  • Waterfront Workforce Operations: Structure, Strategy, and Delivery
• Tony Brewster – President – Marine Petrobulk LP
  • Bunkering Operations in the Lower Mainland
• Paula Doucette – Regional Manager, Oceans Protection Plan – Transport Canada
• Lauren McNeilly – Program Manager, First Nations Fisheries Council 
  • Cumulative Effects of Marine Shipping Initiative
• Nicholas Schneider – Director, ESG – Teekay Tankers
  • Tanker Market Outlook
• Jeff Crawford – Director of Marine Logistics & QMS, MFSO – Neptune Terminals
  • Terminal Operations Overview
• Abdulla Omar Siddique – Manager, Port State Control, Transport Canada
  • Port State Control Overview
• Dr. Scott Beatty – CEO, Marine Labs
  • Benefits of enhanced weather intelligence for port safety and efficiency.
• Paul Blomerus – CEO, Clear Seas
  • Vessel Traffic Forecast to 2040 for the Pacific Region: Tracking 2025 Traffic Against Projections