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F&L spring round-table

22 & 23 April 2026, in person
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Venues, Travel etc
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Why is F&L different?

Information you can trust.  Welcome to F&L, where senior freight logistics decision-makers shape international strategy at confidential, invitation-only round table discussions.

Agenda: Collaboration by necessity in disruptive times.  Regulatory & economic environment / competitiveness.  Ports & hubs as critical energy, industrial and defence partners.  Meet the policymakers.  

Meeting date: 22-23 April 2026 (networking gala dinner 22 April).

Location: Ghent & Antwerp.  

What to expect: Leaders’ round-table discussion agenda, community-led, <140 participants, no sales pitches.

Costs: €450 card/ €500 payment by invoice + relevant VAT.  These discounted rates apply to F&L members: non-member companies pay €1,500 + VAT.

Help? Get in touch.

This event is hosted by North Sea Port & Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and other key partners are shown below.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adapting and renewing global supply chains; a licence to operate

 

Industry leaders & policymakers discuss how, given the challenging global trading backdrop, freight logistics operations are – by necessity – adapting and collaborating to add value.  Allied to this is the European Commission’s ambitions for the freight logistics sector and for increasing European competitiveness and harmonising Europe-wide regulations, infrastructure and investment.  We focus on business competitiveness, understanding the changing regulatory background, the role logistics is playing to enhance European defence and what industry leaders want each other to know to be able to make better, more informed, more robust decisions.

F&L competition law & antitrust compliance policies. 

 

21 April

International arrivals Antwerpen

22 April

Location: Ghent [see ‘Venues’ tab for details]

  • 09:00 coffee & registration at Visitor Centre, North Sea Port
  • 09:45 boarding Ship Denique II, opening & Welcome
  • Collaboration by necessity & the now critical role of hubs: opportunities of volatility for industry, supply chains & why the new role of ports matters for energy, industry & defence [CEO & director led]
  • 11:45, Economic & Regulatory environment and competitiveness
    • Market trading data overview: all modes, better or worse?  
    • Why are we here today? 
    • Regulatory background & EU positioning
      • Industry leaders demonstrate flexibility in action & global capabilities / competitiveness
      • Senior policymakers EU Commission & legal advisors – Panel & audience.
  • Lunch & understanding North Sea Port value
  • Choice of breakouts – EU competitiveness & Global supply chain solutions [specific materials provided by industry leaders]
  • Defence – logistics matters.  Change and the need for specialist capabilities/skills
    • Brigadier General & Director Logistics of the EU Military Staff, VP Port of Antwerp-Bruges, other key input.
  • 16:30 disembark & transfer to Antwerp
  • 19:00 Gala reception evening programme, Port of Antwerp-Bruges

23 April

Location: Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Port House

  • 09:00 Are we ready?  Conclusions Day 1 & aims for Day 2
  • Dare to be different: frontrunners’ perspectives
    • CEO Port of Antwerp-Bruges & other key input.
  • Choice of breakout: planning for solutions
    • Session A – 5+ scenarios & forecastingfor our long term future [Director led]
    • Session B – energy transition, infrastructure, investment & transport
      • [Professor & Director led]
  • Lunch
  • Choice of understanding what is happening at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges through behind the scenes closed-door visits
    • Bertschi’s Antwerp Zomerweg Terminal AZT for dangerous goods storage and trimodal transport.  Strategically located in the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe, the terminal serves as an important hub for imports and exports to and from overseas markets.
    • CMB Tech – worldwide pioneer, hydrogen and ammonia technology development and production.
    • NextGen district – companies shaping tomorrow including PureCycle.
    • Others to be confirmed.  
  • 15:30 Close 

This meeting is for senior business leaders & their teams; people who are actively leading industry today.  

Participants will be shown in due course.  In the meantime, participants from recent meetings below – click on the ‘attendee’ tabs.

Participant list for F&L at Nike (Oct 2025)

Participant list for Poland (Apr 2025)

Participant list for Zaragoza Spain (Oct 2024)

 

This is a two-centre Meeting.  F&L hotel(s) reserved in Antwerp & we will take the short distance between Antwerp and Ghent by train.  Plenty parking both in Ghent and at the various hotels in Antwerp for those who prefer own transport.

Overview

  • Tues 21 April – no agenda but F&L sleeping hotels in Antwerp & some may meet for dinner.
  • Wed 22 April – F&L agenda.  Ghent 09:45 – 16:30 followed by gala dinner in Antwerp.  
  • Thurs 23 April – F&L agenda.  Antwerp 09:00 – 15:30.
  • Sleeping hotel(s) – please see below.

 

Timetable

Wed 22 April

  • 07:45 / 08:00 those staying in Antwerp travel by train to Gent-Dampoort
  • 08:45 private shuttle [Gent-Dampoort railway station to NSP Visitor Centre]
  • 09:00 coffee & registration [Visitor Centre North Sea Port, Rigakaai 1, 9000 Ghent]
  • 09:45 on board Ship Denique II [boarding from Quay Rigakaai next to the visitor Centre, cruising 11:40 – 16:00]
  • 16:15 disembark & private shuttle to Gent-Dampoort railway station for trains to Antwerp Centraal
  • Gala dinner Antwerp

Thurs 23 April

  • 09:00 – 13:30 Antwerp Port House [Auditorium Marc Van Peel, Zaha Hadidplein 1, 2030 Antwerp]
  • Lunch
  • 13:30 choice of visits see ‘Agenda’ tab
  • 15:30 Close and departure for onward journeys (remember public transport is fastest in Antwerp).

International arrivals

  • Air – Brussels Zaventem airport (BRU) has a direct rail connection to Antwerp Centraal (approx 30 mins).  Brussels Charleroi (CRL) is further away – approx 2 hours by train to Antwerp Centraal – depending on time of day, you may be a little quicker by taxi.
  • Rail – go to Antwerp Centraal.
  • Car – parking available at all F&L hotels in Antwerp & in Ghent on 22 April if you choose to drive rather than take the train from Antwerp.


Discounted sleeping hotels 

A mix of discounted sleeping hotels reserved in Antwerp for nights of Tues 21 & Wed 22 April 2026.  Discount codes are in the registration confirmation email.

Dress Code

General businesswear.

Questions?

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    Participation:

    Networking dinner 22 April (wonderful venue & limited capacity!):

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    F&L events are in principle governed by a tailored “Chatham House Rule”. That Chatham House Rule helps to create a trusted environment to understand and resolve complex matters. When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the tailored Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s) in relation to his/her particular content may be revealed externally. Speaker presentations /materials can however be shared with F&L members and participants to the F&L event but should not be shared externally without the consent of the speaker or without his/her anonymization.

    Why is F&L different?


    F&L was established in 1994 to serve as a balanced, multi-stakeholder leadership forum for senior logistics leaders and their teams to shape their own international strategies at confidential, invitation-only peer group roundtable discussions on all subjects of interest.

    Freight leaders develop a broader outlook and expand their understanding, proactively choosing their pathways rather than blindly reacting to market forces.

    F&L’s purpose is to enable Members to access authoritative sources of information and confidential peer exchange through its neutral (independent), not for profit, non lobby, confidential & antitrust-compliant structure and its highly reputable, active and international network.