The September edition of Antwerp XL, the global event dedicated to breakbulk, heavy lift, roro & project cargo, has been rescheduled to 10-12 March 2021, but show-goers will still have the chance to learn, debate and connect online throughout what is being dubbed the “Summer of breakbulk” – a series of online seminars & meetings that will culminate in a new digital event on the dates the September show would have run.
Mark Rimmer, Easyfairs Divisional Director, says, “We’ve been working extremely hard to create something unprecedented and we’re incredibly excited and proud to launch XL Connect 2.0 and the ‘Summer of breakbulk’ webinar series. Covid-19 has certainly brought with it a plethora of challenges but has also been the mother of innovation – We’ve all had to connect in different ways, through different platforms, be it with people or content online. XL Connect 2.0 caters to both these needs; a digital extension of the live meetings platform we run live at AntwerpXL and content that helps steer the industry.
“Whilst we were deeply disappointed to cancel our April edition earlier this year, we had hoped things might return to a form of normality come September. With the Belgian government’s announcement that all events cannot run until after 30th August 2020, it makes it extremely difficult to plan, promote & run a large-scale international event. We feel by moving the event to next year, it provides time for the industry to adapt & return to a ‘new normal’ & we eagerly look forward to hosting the global community again in Antwerp, 10-12 March 2021.
“In the meantime, we look forward to what the XL ‘Summer of break bulk’ will bring, along with our brand-new digital event, held over 14-18th September 2020 – More details to come soon!”
The first instalment of XL’s ‘Summer of break bulk’ will kick off on Wednesday 24 June with an interactive webinar on Global Trends and Economic Factors impacting the break bulk industry – Delivered by industry experts Roy van Eijsden, CEO of Ballast Nedam International Projects, Matthew Watkins, Principal Analyst at CRU Group and Wim Dillen, International Development Manager at Port of Antwerp.
Further webinars will run monthly, culminating in three days of virtual networking, roundtables and panel discussions running over 14-18th September 2020. These digital seminars will explore the evolution of break bulk next-gen, renewables in break bulk, smart ports, and agile and flexible working in the industry. There will also be a series of online product demos, showcasing some of the industry’s most innovative technologies & start-up companies.
To register for the first webinar please visit https://bit.ly/30MC9ea
