It is not always fully recognised or acknowledged, but it is the individual delegates who are the true heart of any conference, whatever the star quality of the keynote speakers. And so it is for Coastlink 2026.
The list of attendees at the Hull gathering next month – 6-7 May – confirms the event’s status as one of the most important annual meetings for the short sea shipping and multimodal logistics sector.
And while the rollcall of ports, terminals and specialist logistic and shipping operators, and the many speakers, is truly impressive, at Coastlink 2026 it’s also the calibre, diversity and simple accessibility of its individual attendees that can be the real treasure trove.
It is certainly true that speeches and round table discussions can inspire new thinking and open doors, but equally it is also the Coastlink environment that can lead to a conversation over coffee that creates a new collaboration, or a chance meeting between sessions or over a drink or a meal that sparks an idea.
Such opportunities are built into every moment of the event, and the shared focus of attendees means that time spent networking is time well invested. It’s a value well understood by those who return year after year.
Coastlink is about connecting. It’s about being in the right place, with the right people.
