FreightWeekSTL Returns In Virtual Format For 2022
FreightWeekSTL returns May 23 through May 27 as a virtual event featuring seven discussions focused on the latest trends and innovations influencing worldwide freight movement and highlighting the global access available from the St. Louis bi-state region.
For the fifth consecutive year, the conference is being offered in partnership with Inland Marine Expo (IMX). IMX will host its in-person conference May 23-25 in downtown St. Louis, bringing hundreds of inland waterway experts and industry leaders to the St. Louis area. The combined events provide an opportunity to hear from and engage with freight and logistics experts, international shippers, carriers and other leading companies – as well as regional leaders from eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois.
“FreightWeekSTL 2022 will kick off with Innovation Day, during which we will share the latest advances in the efforts to develop an autonomous, zero-emissions railcar and also provide an update on the revolutionary Container-on-Vessel service coming to the Midwest that will really position our inland waterway system as the marine highway it has the potential to be,” said Mary Lamie, executive vice president of multi-modal enterprises for Bi-State Development, which operates the St. Louis Regional Freightway as one of its enterprises. “We’re committed to presenting some of the most relevant and timely topics in the logistics industry and are excited to continue the tradition of bringing together forward-thinkers who are shaping the future of the freight industry.”The full line up for FreightWeekSTL 2022 includes:
• The CEO of the St. Louis-based start-up Intramotev Autonomous Rail will share details on the advances his company is making in the development of an autonomous, zero-emissions railcar that would be able to operate without the use of a locomotive.
• A different panel discussion will highlight the latest information on the collaborative effort to launch Container-on-Vessel (COV) service to the Midwest, including milestones related to the patented vessels and Midwest ports that will be part of this new, all-water, north-south trade lane that connects to the Lower Mississippi River and on to worldwide destinations.
• Another discussion will spotlight APM Terminals’ global operation of one of the world’s most comprehensive port networks, serving 10,000 customers around the globe, and the role that the St. Louis region will soon play as part of that network.
• Another panel will highlight the global connectivity through Union Pacific’s dedicated rail service to the largest U.S. port complex, the latest technology UP is deploying and how it benefits the industry and the operations at the UP Intermodal Yard in Dupo, Ill.
• A panel discussion will focus on the significant investments underway at three Midwest ports and other improvements being studied by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that together will facilitate an increase in barge services and deliver cost efficiencies that drive profitability for the industry. (This panel is being offered virtually and in-person at the Inland Marine Expo.)
• A new partnership will be introduced between the St. Louis Regional Freightway and KC SmartPort to highlight the importance of reconstruction and adding capacity to Missouri’s statewide Interstate 70 logistics corridor and input from a manufacturer who relies heavily on this corridor for its domestic and global distribution.
• One panel discussion will focus on the economic impact of Illinois Route 3, detailing how this 60-mile corridor just east of St. Louis has become a nationally significant heavy industrial corridor and including insight into how international business trends affect site selection.
The week also will include a riverboat tour on the Mississippi River, providing a unique perspective to view the key freight assets and opportunities that position the St. Louis region as a thriving freight and logistics hub and contribute to this section of the Mississippi River being recognized as the Ag Coast of America.
Another highlight of FreightWeekSTL 2022 includes the live digital release of the 2023 Priority Projects List—a valuable tool used to advocate for support and funding for critical infrastructure improvements that strengthen the St. Louis region’s position as one location delivering global access. The week will wrap up with the release of the latest Industrial Market Report for the region.
“We’re anticipating another great event as people join us virtually for FreightWeekSTL or take advantage of the flexibility our format offers to catch up on the timely and important topics we’ll be exploring on their own schedules,” Lamie said. “This approach enables us to connect with the broadest audience possible, so we can further elevate our standing as a world-class freight hub and raise greater awareness of the St. Louis region as an innovator in freight transportation.”
The St. Louis Regional Freightway is an enterprise of Bi-State Development, a multi-faceted resource for economic development in the St. Louis region. Bi-State Development was tapped in 2014 to establish and globally market a freight district for freight operations and opportunities within the bi-state area.
“For five years, FreightWeekSTL has stood out as a signature initiative in the St. Louis Regional Freightway’s efforts to share the region’s greatest freight and site-selection strengths,” said Bi-State Development President and CEO Taulby Roach. “Bi-State Development is proud of the role our Freightway enterprise continues to play in delivering this important industry event, while connecting the private and public sectors in support of initiatives and investments that reinforce the global connectivity the St. Louis region offers.”
To learn more about FreightWeekSTL, see the dates and times for each session or to register to attend the virtual sessions, visit https://freightweekstl.thefreightway.com/.For those who are unable to tune in live for the individual sessions, all of the content presented will be accessible on the website and via the organization’s social media channels. For additional details on the Inland Marine Expo, visit https://inlandmarineexpo.com/.
