The Chairman of the United States Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Laura DiBella, is scheduled to make a landmark visit to Sri Lanka to inaugurate the eighth Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference (CIMC), to be held from September 9 to 11.
The visit marks the first time a serving FMC Chairman will travel to South Asia for such an event and is expected to highlight the growing importance of Sri Lanka's maritime sector to global trade and US supply chains.
The three-day conference will bring together international and local maritime and logistics experts, policymakers, investors and industry leaders to discuss the future of shipping, trade security, supply chain resilience and infrastructure development.
The event also coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Shippers' Academy Colombo, which has played a role in promoting maritime education and trade facilitation in Sri Lanka and the wider region.
The United States is Sri Lanka's largest export market, while the Port of Colombo serves as an important transshipment hub for cargo moving through regional and international supply chains. The conference is expected to examine challenges facing global shipping amid changing geopolitical conditions and disruptions to established trade routes.
More than 300 delegates, over 40 international experts, and more than 40 local industry leaders are expected to participate in the conference, which will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel Galadari Colombo.
US President Donald Trump designated DiBella Chairman of the FMC in January 2026. She previously served as Florida's Secretary of Commerce and as Port Director of the Port of Fernandina.
US FMC Commissioner Robert J. Harvey is also expected to participate in the conference. Harvey, a former US Navy JAG Corps Lieutenant Commander and federal prosecutor, was sworn in as an FMC Commissioner on June 1, 2026.
Senior US maritime officials are expected to provide regional shipping and logistics operators with insights into developments in US maritime policy and international ocean supply chains.
The conference will focus on emerging issues affecting the sector, including maritime technology, cybersecurity, route optimisation, trade regulations, terminal operations and supply chain resilience.
Organisers said the conference would provide a platform for industry stakeholders to identify opportunities for greater cooperation and address challenges affecting trade and logistics in South Asia.
Further information is available from CIMC at [email protected] or the Shippers' Academy Colombo at [email protected].
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