All New Refrigerated Container Transportation Track to be Featured at 2012 TPM Conference in Long Beach, Calif.

NEWARK, N.J., Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2012 Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference will feature a first-ever refrigerated container transportation track, focused on the rapidly growing trans-Pacific reefer trade, both eastbound and westbound. The full-day Cool Cargoes track, featuring speeches and four panel discussions, will take place on Day 2 of TPM, March 6, 2012, at the Long Beach Hyatt Regency. Attendees at TPM, organized by The Journal of Commerce, will have the option of attending all or part of the Cool Cargoes track as part of their TPM registration. To register now, click here.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111116/NY08414)

Given the vigorous growth of U.S. exports and the many complexities, both operational and regulatory, surrounding the reefer trade, we felt the subject deserved its own unique, full-day track at TPM, said Peter Tirschwell, Senior Vice President at UBM Global Trade, the parent company of The Journal of Commerce.

The Cool Cargoes panels are being developed by veteran transportation journalist and reefer specialist Stephanie Nall, editor of the JOC's Cool Cargoes magazine. The track will include a detailed market analysis of the trans-Pacific reefer market with a focus on the fastest-growing reefer import and export markets, commodities, ports and carriers. Panel discussions will include in-depth exploration of the most pressing challenges facing the reefer market, including:

-- The impact on reefer shippers of slow steaming and transshipments versus direct sailings.

-- How the U.S. chassis transition to a non-carrier model is impacting the reefer market.

-- Is the loss-making container industry prepared to make the needed investments in reefer equipment to support expected double-digit market growth?

-- Will the market see the rise of reefer-only, or reefer-dominated, container ships?

-- How will the 2011 Food Safety and Modernization Act impacting the reefer trade?

-- How do shippers' demands for environmentally friendly transportation interact with their often higher priorities for low cost and fast transit times?

Updates on the reefer market and the Cool Cargoes TPM track are available by following @CoolCargoes on Twitter.

Registration is now open for this event. To register, or to view our preliminary agenda, please visit http://jocevents.com/?section=tpm2012.

To hear more about this conference from Peter Tirschwell, the Senior Vice President of Strategy, click here: http://www.joc.com/tpm/tpm-long-beach-2012-set-march-5-6-2012-video

To view daily news visit www.joc.com. For more information on TPM, contact Peter Tirschwell, at (973) 776-7822 or ptirschwell@joc.com.

About The Journal of Commerce: Since 1827, The Journal of Commerce has been the most trusted source of intelligence for international logistics executives to help them plan global supply chains and better manage day-to-day transportation of goods and commodities in the United States and internationally.

To become a member of The Journal of Commerce click here. JOC members have access to our weekly print and digital magazine and Web site, as well as a 10 percent discount on all JOC events and trade shows, UBM Global Trade Directories and select PIERS products. Authoritative editorial content in the form of daily news, weekly analysis and regular features ensure our members have the information and data necessary to understand the issues facing trucking, rail and maritime transportation. Members enjoy access to By the Numbers, an exclusive weekly compilation of key industry statistics that provides detailed views of current market trends across all modes. Regular market intelligence reports -- utilizing PIERS trade data -- include Top 100 Imports and Exporters, quarterly Top 40 Container lines, Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Maritime Forecasts and Top Container Ports and Terminals. Market-sector supplements, including Breakbulk, Cool Cargoes, 3PL, JOC Guide to Trucking and others, ensure all modes are comprehensively covered.

About PIERS -- PIERS is the most comprehensive database of U.S. waterborne trade activity in the world providing information services to thousands of subscribers globally. Launched more than 35 years ago, PIERS was the first venture in digital global trade intelligence and quickly became the industry standard for accuracy, reliability and insight. Our unique infrastructure and proprietary technology allow us to not only publish import data but also complete coverage of U.S. export transactional data. PIERS is a division of UBM Global Trade, and a sister company of The Journal of Commerce. For more information, visit www.piers.com, or call 800-952-3839 (+1-973-776-8660).

About UBM Global Trade -- UBM Global Trade is the leading provider of proprietary data, news, business intelligence and analytical content supporting commercial maritime, rail, trucking, warehousing and logistics industries worldwide. The company's portfolio of more than 100 online, print and interactive workflow business solutions includes The Journal of Commerce, Breakbulk, RailResource, PIERS and an array of international trade and transportation databases and directories. UBM Global Trade, a subsidiary of UBM LLC, is headquartered in Newark, NJ, with offices throughout the United States. For more information, explore www.ubmglobaltrade.com or call 800-223-0243 (+1-973-848-7250 outside the U.S. or Canada).

CONTACT: Peter Tirschwell, Senior Vice President, Strategy, The Journal of Commerce, +1-973-776-7822, ptirschwell@joc.com