Rich Ceci joined VIT in May 2016 as Senior Vice President of Technology and Projects. He is responsible for the major expansion projects in The Port of Virginia. Rich and his team have completed expansions to two of the port’s largest terminals that have increased capacity by 40%. These expansion projects include advanced technology focused on improving both safety and productivity in the port.
Previously Rich was VP of Information Technology for GCT USA in Bayonne NJ where he managed the Global Expansion Project, winner of several industry awards. The GEP was completed on-time and on budget and is one of the most technically advanced terminals in the United States.
In addition, Rich was the IT lead on the APM Terminals Virginia project. This facility opened in August 2007. This trend setting terminal has been a technical benchmark in the industry for over a decade.

Alan McCorkle was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Yusen Terminals LLC in August 2019. He joined NYK Ports/Yusen Terminals in November 2014 as Vice President of West Coast Operations and was then promoted to Senior Vice President in April 2016. Prior to joining NYK ports, Alan was with the A.P. Moller–Maersk Group for 25 years holding a number of positions of increasing responsibility including leading the development of the Pier 400 terminal in Los Angeles becoming its Managing Director when the facility opened in 2002 and General Manager, APM Terminals (Jamaica) Ltd. in 2004, where he managed all port operations in Jamaica before returning to Southern California becoming Vice President of West Coast Operations in 2005. Alan currently serves on the Board of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association in addition to being a member of the Advisory Committee for the Center for International Trade and Transportation (CITT) at California State Long Beach. Alan holds a B.S. in Business Management from Clemson University and is a graduate of the Executive Development Programs at Cornell University and IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Enrique Piqueras is an experienced leader who has successfully held several high-level positions in the maritime and port sector, as well as in related logistics fields in South America, Asia, and the Middle East. His strengths include customer and stakeholder management, business strategy, a solid understanding of port operations, including general cargo operations, and a deep commitment to workplace safety. In all the roles he has held, he has focused on continuously finding ways to improve and maximize performance in each area of the business, as well as within the teams he leads.

He joined PSA Panama in July 2022, leading a team of over 1,000 highly skilled employees on an organizational optimization journey toward continuous improvement and process automation, aiming to transform the terminal into a world-class benchmark.

His academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Universidad de Lima and an Executive MBA from IE Business School.

Anton Bernaerd is Head of Sales and almost 20 years part of the Camco Technologies team. Anton has been sharing insights on process optimization and terminal automation in more than 250 terminals across the globe. His unique expertise in gate and crane automation makes him an authority speaker in industry events.

Luis Canto has more than 20 years of experience in the port industry, primarily focused on port equipment for container and general cargo operations. His expertise spans equipment OEMs, maintenance services, engineering team management within port environments, and a wide range of technical initiatives – including crane upgrades, relocations, automation of RTGs, electrification, height increases, and life-extension programs.

Throughout his career, Luis has worked across all facets of port operations. He has served with major crane OEMs (Impsa and Kalmar), provided maintenance services through organizations like Impsa Port Systems, Global Services, and Cargotec Terminal Solutions, and delivered specialized services to ports ranging from retrofits and emergency repairs to inspections and operational-excellence consultancy. His leadership roles include serving as Maintenance and Project Director for large terminals, as well as contributing at the corporate level by developing master plans, implementing cost-reduction initiatives, and establishing global policies and agreements.

At this stage of his career, Luis confidently affirms that the port industry is his passion.

Felix Paul Czerny is the Co-founder and CEO of CONROO, founded in 2021 after he witnessed long queues of truck drivers at an inland terminal in Germany. That moment exposed inefficiencies in truck handling and became the spark to build CONROO, subsequently automating terminal access and truck processes via the drivers’ smartphones to make global supply chains more predictable and efficient.

At CONROO, he and his team work closely with terminals and depots to automate container logistics and improve the coordination of third-party truck movements. CONROO transforms the driver’s smartphone into a secure, intelligent sensor, enabling the digitization of truck dispatch and execution. By acting as a missing link in terminal automation, the platform helps reduce congestion, improve planning accuracy, and strengthen operational resilience. CONROO is working with 35 terminals and depots across the globe, including APM Terminals, EUROGATE, Deutsche Bahn, Duisport and EUROGATE.

Felix holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Management from the University of St Andrews and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Konstanz and Hong Kong.

With 28 years in the port and container terminal industry, he brings deep expertise across operations, technology, and project management. He has led complex, multidisciplinary projects in demanding operational environments, including truck gate automation, crane OCR with quayside process automation, AI-based container inspection, and a-RTG implementation. His career spans IT management, process quality, and new projects through to operations leadership at terminals within APMT, TIL (BTP Santos) and Wilson Sons (Tecon Rio Grande and Tecon Salvador).

A strong advocate for technology-driven operational excellence, he focuses on the right balance between cost, functionality, implementation risk, and return on investment. As Operations Director at Wilson Sons, he leads container terminal automation and continuous improvement initiatives, offering a practical view on integrating people, processes, and technology for safer, smarter operations.

Gabriel Mateucci Cassia is the Research, Development, and Innovation Manager at EMAP – Port of Itaqui, leading the port’s innovation agenda focused on logistics competitiveness, digital transformation, and sustainable regional development. His leadership has driven the delivery of over 40 digital transformation solutions for port operations and supported more than 50 applied research projects engaging over 300 researchers, spearheaded by strategic initiatives such as the Research Incentive Program, the Port Residency, Jovem Tech, and open innovation programs.

Holding master’s degrees in Socioeconomic Development from UFMA (Brazil) and in Port Logistics and Intermodal Transport from Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain), Gabriel bridges public administration, academia, and industry to foster sustainable impact. His work has positioned the Port of Itaqui as a benchmark in public-sector innovation and ESG, earning recognitions such as the ANTAQ Award for ESG & Innovation (2023) and the AAPA LATAM Human Development Award (2025).

Chris graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1992 with a degree in Marine Transportation, a USCG unlimited tonnage license, and a US Naval Reserve commission. He began at Maher Terminals in NY/NJ, then moved to Miami with Oceanic Steamship, rising to Vice President of Operations. As Terminal Manager for Marine Terminals Corp in Oakland, he navigated the 2002 lock-out and a 2003 joint venture with Evergreen Line, and led pioneering tech rollouts including the West Coast’s first radiation portal monitors and the nation’s first digital GPS terminal system.

He later served as President of Coastal Maritime and Chief Process Officer for Diversified Port Holdings. Since joining TOTE in 2018 as VP of Terminal Operations and President of Puerto Rico Terminals, he has led a full turnaround at PRT, created the Puerto Nuevo Terminals joint venture, and established TOTE’s internal stevedoring model through First Coast Terminals. Chris is a published contributor to the Journal of Commerce and lectures on logistics and operational efficiency.

Michael Dempsey is the Global Practice Leader, Marine and Intermodal for REMPREX, a leading supplier of technology and services for the container supply chain. Mike leads the team delivering solutions for process automation and technology enabled integration services. Mr Dempsey has more than 30 years of experience in process automation technologies and is an industry thought leader in the application of technology for shipping, container terminal and port operations. Mr. Dempsey is a recognized speaker and participant in industry trade conferences and associations and is a past Board member of PEMA (Port Equipment Manufacturer’s Association).

Director of the Smart Logístics Lab and the Think Tank Panamá Perspective Analytics at Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá
Professor at Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá
Adjunct Professor at Lousville University and Quality Learderahip University
He holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering from University of Texas at Arlington and Posdoctoral Studies in Smart Logistics at UT Arlington and postdoctoral Studies in Sustainable Supply Chain Management of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables at Florida International University. He is conducting studies in Digital Transformation for Higher Education, AI and Ethics, Smart Warehousing and Data Analytics, and The Resilient Supply Chain Management of Semiconductors.

Roberto Paveck is an economist and port specialist with more than 20 years of experience across logistics, innovation, applied research, and debureaucratization initiatives. He has led nationally recognized innovation efforts in the Brazilian port sector, advancing operational efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness.
He combines professional practice with academic and research activities: he is a professor at Universidade Santa Cecília, teaching in Master’s and MBA programs; a researcher at CILIP/USP, focusing on Port Community Systems; and coordinator of the Aquaviation Mentoring Program at SAE Brasil. Roberto also works as a consultant in port transformation projects and writes regularly for A Tribuna de Santos (Brazil) and Portal Portuario (Chile), covering themes related to ports, education, and innovation.