On a warm spring morning last month, Wilmington’s Ballast Hotels conference center hosted advocates for innovation and collaboration in North Carolina’s maritime and shipping logistics industry during the eighth annual Cold Chain Summit, hosted by the North Carolina Ports Authority.
With more than 300 attendees gathered in the ballroom, the event marked another successful year for the region’s refrigerated shipping sector, a linchpin in the state’s growing economic tapestry.
Hans Bean, chief commercial officer of the NC State Ports Authority, opened the day with gratitude for the summit’s sponsors and a nod to the remarkable turnout. He reflected on the summit’s humble beginnings in 2016, when local protein and produce producers first convened to address shared challenges. Their mission: to build economic resilience, manage risk, and diversify business in the face of shifting global tides…