We are pleased to announce that the ninth annual INTERCEM Shipping Americas meeting will be held at The Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria in Houston, Texas, from 26–27 March 2026. An audience of more than 140 senior executives is expected once again, with participation from cement manufacturers, traders, ship owners, brokers, terminal operators, and equipment and service providers from across the U.S. and around the world. Previous INTERCEM Shipping Americas meetings have attracted delegates from more than 20 countries, including key exporters such as Spain, Turkey, Egypt, Canada, Colombia, and Mexico—major suppliers to the United States, the world’s largest importer of cement. 2025 was an exceptionally turbulent year for US shipping and logistics – indeed, for the shipping community worldwide – and we experienced the volatility and disruption first-hand in Boston on April 9th – 10th. The political and regulatory changes that have emerged from the turbulence are reshaping the economics of global trade. 2026 will be pivotal for the industry as importers and exporters are rethinking sourcing strategies, chartering structures, and storage logistics in response to the new costs and flows of dry bulk materials. For this pivotal moment, the INTERCEM Shipping Americas conversation moves to Houston: home to one of the nation’s most dynamic ports, and a critical gateway for construction materials, dry bulk commodities, and energy products alike. The Port of Houston, one of the busiest and most strategically important ports in the United States, will receive special focus during this year’s agenda. As the largest Gulf Coast hub for cement, clinker, fly ash, and petcoke imports, Houston plays a crucial role in serving U.S. construction and energy markets. Its deep-water terminals, expanding bulk-handling capacity, and connectivity to inland distribution networks make it a cornerstone of the nation’s material supply chain — particularly amid the ongoing shifts in trade routes and tariff regimes. Meanwhile, global demand for supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), coupled with rising infrastructure activity and evolving decarbonization targets, continues to drive new shipping demand and logistical challenges. Increased cargo diversity and supply-chain bottlenecks are pushing operators to innovate — requiring more agile port operations, new digital tools, and optimised storage systems. INTERCEM Shipping Americas remains the premier meeting point for North America’s cement, shipping, and logistics executives to network, exchange insights, and forecast future trends.