Import / Export Traders & Distributors

Ports play a central role in advancing sustainability across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Economically, they enhance value chains by improving efficiency, market access, and competitiveness. Environmentally, well-managed ports support responsible fishing practices, reduce waste, and promote resource conservation. Socially, ports contribute to community livelihoods, safety, and equitable opportunities, strengthening the resilience and inclusiveness of coastal populations.

The FAO Blue Ports Initiative (BPI) seeks to strengthen and support countries and fishing ports in optimizing their operations to promote the sustainable development of coastal communities. Today, the initiative engages over 26 countries within a global network of blue ports and collaborates with more than 20 regional, national, public, and private partners. [Read More…]

Seafood is one of the most extensively traded food commodities on a global scale, and the United States’ country-by-country trade negotiations are reshaping the industry’s traditional supply lines. While the U.S. and E.U. are working on a joint framework for a trade agreement to eliminate all E.U. tariffs on industrial goods, including seafood, other established U.S. seafood suppliers face a more challenging bargaining table with less favorable outcomes.  

When the dust settles, where will the E.U. stand as a seafood supplier to the U.S. market? Changing trade flows, shifting processing centers and fluctuating product availability will be discussed by a panel of key trade figures and industry players as they examine the current state of seafood sourcing in a tariff-affected trade environment.  

As the effects of 2025’s trade escalations ripple through global markets, the seafood industry is grappling with sharp shifts in cost structures, sourcing dynamics, and market access. In this keynote, economist and geopolitical strategist Dr. Nomi Prins delivers a forward-looking economic outlook for 2026, tailored to the global seafood sector. From U.S.-China trade tension fallout to evolving E.U. labeling regulations, traceability mandates, and energy price swings, Prins will connect macro forces to daily decisions. Whether you’re navigating Latin American shrimp exports, Middle East shipping chokepoints, or European labeling mandates, she’ll break down the real forces behind the headlines and what they mean for seafood’s global future. With Norway’s shipments to the U.S. under pressure and India, Brazil, and Vietnam repositioning in response to tariff pressures, global players must navigate a more fractured, competitive, and politically complex trade map. Prins will help seafood leaders see what’s really moving beneath the surface – and how to stay ahead.

The recent Indonesian shrimp radiation occurrence is a good example of how the international seafood supply chain can affect the whole world.  Whether the product is fish, shellfish, caviar, or octopus, the legal, regulatory, and compliance requirements for the companies responsible for aquaculture farming, catching, cleaning, sanitizing, cold chain transportation, and declaration to customs authorities at the country of importation are critical and complex.   Knowing, understanding, and complying with the set of requirements for the international supply chain, especially for seafood, is a challenge for the marketplace. There are numerous, significant changes in laws, regulations, policies, and procedures that directly affect those companies involved in the international supply chain.  Personnel from companies that are aware of these new changes will have an economic advantage, and avoid business and legal mishaps.

Sustainable seafood is critical to global food security and nutrition. Already there are significant segments of the population – in developing and developed nations – that are food insecure. The world’s population continues to grow and the demands for protein are increasing also from growing affluence. The world needs more sustainably produced seafood. The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) Agreement, if not implemented responsibly, could jeopardize the health and economic well-being of millions globally. Yes, improvements are needed in some fisheries, but the solutions are complex. Stopping fishing or pushing effort to less productive areas are not solutions. Join industry leaders and experts to hear their insights on this complex intersection of these two topics.

Consumers are demanding greater reassurance than ever about the origins of their food. This trend is matched by a growing willingness to pay a premium for sustainably produced or sourced products – with research from PwC showing consumers may pay up to 10 percent more for verified sustainable options.

Tuna is a global commodity that is both the most consumed marine species in the E.U. and the most widely consumed seafood in the world by volume. Procured from a wide variety of ocean areas and fisheries, the different species of tuna present many unique challenges for buyers who want to ensure top quality produce at the best price, while at the same time navigating the complexities of sustainability requirements and reputational risks associated with human rights issues.  [Read More…]