ONE Hosts 5th Container Shipping Summit in Nagasaki

Chennai:

Port Wings News Network:

Ocean Network Express (ONE) successfully hosted its fifth Container Shipping Summit in Nagasaki on 10 September 2026.

The Summit brought together government, academic, and industry leaders from Singapore and Japan, alongside local business representatives and experts from Nagasaki to discuss a vision for a foreseeable future, the evolving role of container shipping, and strategies for sustainable local development, including in Nagasaki.

Delivering the opening remarks, Kenichi Michida, Executive Vice President of ONE, said, “In an era of profound uncertainty, no single player can tackle global challenges alone. By envisioning a foreseeable world and ‘backcasting’ from that future, we can determine the strategic actions we must take today. Through this summit, we aim to strengthen strategic alliances with key partners, deepen academic collaboration to foster future-ready talent, and reinforce our global presence. By driving this ‘ecosystem approach’ and engaging a broader range of stakeholders in discussions, we will work together to build a resilient supply chain and contribute to a better future for society.”

In his remarks, Mayor Shiro Suzuki of Nagasaki City welcomed the attendees. He said, “Nagasaki has a long history of connecting with the world by sea. As maritime transport plays a vital role in sustaining the global economy and our everyday lives, I strongly hope that this summit will foster productive discussions to shape a sustainable future for container shipping.”

Building on the discussions from the past four summits, ONE has been developing an open and collaborative platform for strategic foresight and analysis designed to systematically explore multifaceted scenarios for the future in an era of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity). Rather than simply forecasting the future, it simulates a logical and compelling vision of the world based on currently observable signals, incorporating both continuous and discontinuous changes. Recognizing that this vision is based on hypotheses that may evolve as underlying conditions shift, ONE aims to backcast from it to identify the challenges to be addressed today, collaborating with various stakeholders to advance efforts toward solutions.

This summit featured four panel discussions on various topics based on the challenges identified from previous discussions.

Theme 1: Participants discussed how AI could transform forecasting, trade-flow analysis, network design, and the demand web, as well as how AI and automation will reshape container shipping operations, including hub ports, vessels, and terminal management.

Theme 2: The panel addressed how various stakeholders should share the costs and risks of transitioning toward a resilient, net-zero supply chain, and how collaborative ecosystems can build structural resilience for unexpected contingencies.

Theme 3: Discussion focused on human capital and future work environments, examining how AI and digitalization redefine necessary skills across maritime roles, and how companies can attract and retain top talent.

Theme 4: Building on the insights from Themes 1 through 3, Theme 4 used the host city of Nagasaki as a model for a case study to discuss strategies for regional revitalization by combining Physical AI with local manufacturing expertise amid shifting workstyles and values, exploring concrete paths toward a sustainable ecosystem where local communities and the maritime industry work in unison.

These sessions were enriched by the contributions of diverse experts. Distinguished researchers and experts from the following universities, organizations, and companies participated in the panel discussions — Anchor Ship Partners, Gakushuin University, The Juhachi-Shinwa Bank, Kobe University, Kyoto University, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science, Nagasaki Prefectural Government, National University of Singapore, PSA Corporation, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore Management University, Singapore Maritime Foundation, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, University of Nagasaki, Waseda University, and Yokohama National University.

Ai Lin Tay, Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources, ONE, thanked all participants for their contributions to the Summit.

Ai Lin Tay said: “Gathering here in Nagasaki, a city with such a rich history of global connection, has been truly inspiring. My biggest takeaway from today is simple: AI and advanced technology are only as effective as the people behind them. As digitalization reshapes our industry, we must equip future maritime leaders with the right skills and mindsets. The true value of this Summit will be measured by the ideas we put into practice when we return to our organizations.”

Building on the feedback received from participants during these discussions, ONE will continue to explore opportunities for dialogue and collaboration across industry, government, and academia. To address global supply chain challenges that cannot be solved by a single company, ONE will drive an “ecosystem approach,” joining forces with diverse stakeholders to develop effective solutions and contribute to the future of container shipping and society.

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