2026 FIATA World Congress
Join FIATA to Celebrate its 100-Year Anniversary at the 2026 FIATA World Congress
FIATA Director General, Dr Stéphane Graber, invites you to the 2026 FIATA World Congress
The 2026 FIATA World Congress will take place in Milan from 6 to 9 October 2026, co-organised with Federazione Nazionale delle Imprese di Spedizioni Internazionali (FEDESPEDI) and marking a landmark occasion: FIATA's centenary. The Congress brings together the global freight forwarding and logistics community for high-level debate, exchange and celebration.
At the centre of the programme sits a series of expert panels on the forces reshaping international trade, from shifting supply chains and multimodal corridors to digitalisation, customs, sustainability and risk management.
Discover the 2026 FIATA World Congress programme below!
Panel 1 - The New Supply Chain Landscape: Navigating Fragmentation, Uncertainty and Shifting Trade Flows
The structural conditions that shaped global supply chains over the past two decades are shifting. Manufacturing bases are diversifying, sourcing strategies are being reconfigured, and emerging regions are assuming greater weight in end-to-end supply chain networks. Alongside this, sustained tariff volatility and unpredictable policy environments have complicated long-term planning in ways that operators cannot simply absorb through contingency reserves.
Cross-border e-commerce adds a further layer of complexity. Growth in this segment is placing sustained pressure on customs systems, last-mile infrastructure and supply chain visibility frameworks that were not designed with current volumes in mind.
This session examines how these forces are reshaping trade patterns in practice — where genuine growth is materialising, how companies are adapting their supply chain, sourcing, network and commercial strategies, and what a credible approach to resilience looks like when volatility is a structural feature of the operating environment rather than a temporary condition.
Speakers include:
- Ms Azhar Jaimurzina Ducrest, Chief, Transport Connectivity and Logistics Section, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
- Ms Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary, United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
- Dr Young Tae Kim, Secretary-General, International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD
More speakers to be announced soon!
Panel 2 - Restructuring Multimodal Corridors: Tackling Friction and Bottlenecks
Multimodal corridors are central to the efficiency of international trade, yet their performance depends on a level of alignment across infrastructure, documentation standards, regulatory frameworks and digital systems that remains difficult to achieve in practice. As trade routes adjust and volumes shift, existing weaknesses within corridors become more visible and more costly.
In many cases, the most significant constraints are procedural rather than physical. Documentation inconsistencies, limited data interoperability between modes and jurisdictions, and fragmented governance structures can generate more delay and commercial exposure than infrastructure gaps alone.
Road and rail corridors are not simply connectors; they are the arteries through which trade flows, and their efficiency sets the ceiling for the performance of the entire logistics chain.
This session examines where constraints are most acute, what is driving corridor restructuring in practice, and how these can be managed without compounding the friction it is intended to resolve. Drawing on operational experience from active corridors, the discussion will consider what best practice in corridor governance and digital integration looks like, and where genuine gains in speed, reliability and cost-efficiency have been achieved.
Speakers include:
- Mr Miroslaw Antonowicz, Chairman of the Committee, Organisation for Co-operation between Railways (OSJD)
- Mr Aleksandr Kuzmenko, Secretary General, Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF)
- Mr Ralf-Charley Schultze, Director General, International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport (UIRR)
More speakers to be announced soon!
Panel 3 - Supply Chain in the Digital Age: Cybersecurity, Single Windows and Connected Trade
Ports are operating increasingly as digital environments, with port community systems, data exchange platforms and maritime single windows transforming information flows between shipping lines, terminal operators, customs authorities and logistics providers. The efficiency and transparency gains from this shift are significant — but so is the exposure it introduces.
Cyber incidents at port level carry consequences that extend well beyond the facility itself, disrupting cargo flows, compromising data integrity and generating commercial losses across connected supply chains and intermodal networks, where a single point of failure can cascade through road, rail and inland waterway operations simultaneously. Cyber resilience has moved from a technical consideration to a core operational and governance priority — one that requires coordinated responses across port management, logistics operators and regulatory bodies.
This session examines how digitalisation and cybersecurity intersect within the maritime environment. It will address the practical implementation of international frameworks and guidelines, the current state of maritime single window deployment, and the particular challenge of integrating smaller operators into digital port ecosystems that were largely developed around the capacity and requirements of larger institutional actors.
Speakers include:
- Mr Nachi Mendelow, Senior Business Development Executive and Global Customs Domain Owner, CargoWise
- Mr Patrick Verhoeven, Managing Director, International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH)
More speakers to be announced soon!
Panel 4 - Customs Reimagined: Turning Tariffs, Data and De Minimis into Strategic Advantage
The customs environment is changing on multiple fronts simultaneously, and the pace of that change is placing real pressure on operators, compliance teams and trade advisors. Nearshoring is reshuffling origin patterns and generating new classification questions. Tariff volatility is forcing commercial and logistics decisions to be made on incomplete and shifting information. The erosion of de minimis thresholds is working its way through air freight and e-commerce supply chains in ways whose full impact is still unfolding.
Behind all of this, customs administrations are demanding more data, submitted faster and in formats that place significant demands on smaller operators in particular. The direction of travel toward greater data intensity, tighter controls and less tolerance for classification ambiguity is clear, even where the specific rules are not.
This session brings together perspectives from across the trade, compliance and policy spectrum to examine what is actually changing and what it requires in practice. The discussion will address how businesses are adapting their customs strategies, what freight forwarders need to be advising their clients, and how international frameworks around trade facilitation and Authorised Economic Operator programmes are holding up under current conditions.
Speakers include:
- Mr Jaime King, CEO, Servicios Aduanales y Logísticos, S.C. (Mexico) and International Warehouses of Brownsville, Inc. (USA)
More speakers to be announced soon!
Panel 5 - YLP Talk Show
The Young Logistics Professionals Award (YLP), sponsored TT Club, shines a spotlight on the next generation of logistics talent. Three regional winners will each take to the stage to present their research, exploring practical import and export challenges and proposing forward-thinking solutions to improve transport operations. Once all presentations have been delivered, the audience will play an active role in the process by voting for the future YLP Global Winner.
Speakers include:
- Ms Mavis Rwodzi, The Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association of Zimbabwe (SFAAZ), Region Africa and the Middle East Winner
- Ms Yu Yang, China International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFA), Region Asia-Pacific Winner
- Mr Ozan Durak, Turkish Forwarding and Logistics Association (UTIKAD), Region Europe Winner
More speakers to be announced soon!
Panel 6 - Sustainability in Logistics: Balancing Climate Ambition with Commercial Survival
Sustainability has moved from a corporate responsibility agenda item to a commercial and regulatory reality. For freight forwarders and logistics operators, the pressure is coming from multiple directions at once: shipper expectations, investor scrutiny, emissions reporting requirements and a growing body of regulation that is advancing faster than many businesses anticipated.
The challenge is not simply one of ambition. It is one of implementation. Alternative fuels, modal shift, carbon measurement, scope 3 reporting and green corridor development all require decisions and investments that carry real commercial consequences — particularly for small and medium-sized operators who do not have dedicated sustainability teams or the purchasing power of large carriers.
At the same time, the regulatory landscape is far from settled. Carbon pricing mechanisms, the European Union (EU) Fit for 55 package, FuelEU Maritime, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and evolving IMO targets are creating a compliance environment that requires operators to act now on incomplete information.
This session examines what sustainability actually demands of freight forwarders and logistics operators in practice — not as a future consideration, but as a present commercial and operational reality. It will address where the regulatory pressure is sharpest, how businesses of different sizes are approaching decarbonisation, and where the genuine commercial opportunity in sustainable logistics lies.
Speakers include:
- Ms Sophie Punte, Founding CEO, Life-Links
More speakers to be announced soon!
Panel 7 - Risk Management, Insurance, Safety and Security: Protecting Operations in a Volatile Trade World
The risk landscape facing freight forwarders and logistics operators has rarely been more complex. Geopolitical instability, extreme weather events, cargo theft (including phantom hauler schemes), cyber incidents, port disruptions and shifting liability frameworks are converging in ways that strain conventional risk management approaches. These pressures are particularly acute in air freight, where high-value cargo, security screening obligations and known shipper frameworks concentrate risk exposure significantly. What worked as a risk strategy three years ago may not be adequate today.
Insurance markets are responding to this shift but not always in ways that benefit operators. Premiums are rising in high-exposure segments, coverage terms are tightening, and the assumptions embedded in standard freight liability instruments are being tested by claim patterns that were not anticipated when those instruments were written.
Safety and security add further layers of complexity. Dangerous goods compliance, undeclared cargo in air freight, cargo integrity, supply chain security requirements and the growing intersection between physical and cyber threats all demand attention from operators who are simultaneously managing cost pressure and capacity constraints.
This session examines how logisticians are approaching risk in a more volatile environment: what has changed, where current frameworks are falling short, and what best practices are emerging for a more robust and commercially sustainable approach to risk management.
Speakers include:
- Mr Nicolas Rallo, Regional Director, EUR/NAT Office, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- Ms Alison Wixley, Senior Claims Executive, TT Club
More speakers to be announced soon!
Do Not Miss the Social Events
The 2026 FIATA World Congress is far more than a programme of high-level debate. As FIATA marks its centenary, the evenings have been designed as occasions to connect, celebrate and experience the very best of Italian hospitality.
From a welcome reception to an Italian-themed evening and a centenary Gala Dinner, these networking opportunities will help enourage dialogue amongst the global freight logistics community. To ease movement throughout the Congress, organised shuttle transport will also be provided.
Welcome Reception
Tuesday, 6 October 2026, Allianz MiCo. Included in the registration fee.
The Congress opens in a vibrant networking atmosphere at Allianz MiCo. Set within the exhibition area, the Welcome Reception offers the perfect opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, meet industry leaders and begin the FIATA Milan experience through engaging conversation and new connections.
Italian Night
Wednesday, 7 October 2026, Museo Alfa Romeo. Included in the registration fee.
Dress code: business casual.
Italian Night brings the passion, style and energy of Italy to the iconic Museo Alfa Romeo. Following an exclusive journey through the legendary history of Alfa Romeo, guests will enjoy a gastronomic tour across the country, followed by a Disco Night of music and dancing in a lively celebration of Italian excellence.
Gala Dinner and Anniversary Celebration
8 October 2026, Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci. Ticket required.
Dress code: black tie or national traditional dress.
The Gala Dinner marks the centenary in style at the prestigious Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology, one of Milan's most remarkable historic venues. The evening will combine elegance, refined dining and a sophisticated after-dinner celebration to mark this truly special FIATA anniversary.
Social Tours: Milan and Beyond
Beyond the Congress, Milan and its surrounding cities offer a wealth to explore, rich in history, art and culture and full of life. A selection of local tours for participants will be shared in the coming weeks, so there will be ample opportunity to experience the city and the region on either side of the programme.
Social tours at discounted rates are being organised for the participants of the 2026 FIATA World Congress. Stay tuned for more information!
Secure Your Place at the 2026 FIATA World Congress
Registration for the 2026 FIATA World Congress is open, and now is the moment to secure your place.
A full delegate registration includes access to the entire educational programme and exhibition floor, entry to the social programme including the Welcome Reception and Italian Night, refreshments and lunches, and all Congress materials. Please note that the centenary Gala Dinner requires a separate ticket, which is not included in the general registration, and that places are limited, so early booking is advised.
We also warmly encourage all delegates to check, well in advance, whether they require a visa to enter Italy. Citizens of the European Union and Schengen area need only a valid identity card or passport, while travellers from a number of other countries will need to apply before departure. Please verify your status through the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa portal and consult the dedicated visa page on the Congress website for the full list of countries concerned. Where a visa is required, begin the process as early as possible, as procedures can take up to 120 days. Upon proof of payment of the registration fee, the Congress Secretariat can provide an official invitation letter to support your application.
Full details, the registration platform and visa guidance are available on the Congress website. For any visa enquiries, please contact [email protected].
Sponsorship opportunities
FIATA extends its sincere thanks to the sponsors supporting this special centenary edition of the FIATA World Congress in Milan.
The Congress also brings together a broad community of exhibitors representing the freight forwarding, logistics and supply chain industry. The full list of partners, sponsors and exhibitors is available here.
Sponsorship of the 2026 FIATA World Congress offers a unique opportunity to raise your organisation's profile before a global audience of over 900 freight forwarding and logistics professionals, at the industry's most important annual gathering. A range of sponsorship and exhibition opportunities is available, each designed to deliver visibility and meaningful connection throughout the event.
To explore the options, consult the Sponsorship Booklet or contact the sponsorship team directly at [email protected].
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