MIAMI, FLORIDA — FEBRUARY 13, 2026 — The Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center (AALAC), in partnership with Florida International University, will host the inaugural US–Caribbean Maritime and Ports Forum in Miami on February 20, 2026, convening senior government officials, port authority leaders, private sector executives, and financial institution representatives to advance cooperation, investment, and policy coordination across the US–Caribbean maritime space. The Forum will take place at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Launching a new, long-term platform under the Atlantic Council’s Caribbean Initiative, the Forum will focus on the strategic role ports play in trade, energy security, tourism, and public safety throughout the Caribbean. As global supply chains evolve and regional priorities shift, the Forum will examine how closer US–Caribbean collaboration can strengthen port infrastructure, enhance maritime security, expand workforce capacity, and unlock sustainable investment across the region.
“The inaugural US-Caribbean Maritime and Ports Forum establishes a clear recognition that the Caribbean stands among the United States’ most strategic partners,” said Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. “Maritime and port cooperation shape how that partnership delivers results. Through the Caribbean Initiative, we are creating a sustained space to elevate regional priorities, deepen US engagement, and connect public and private sector leaders around the investments and policies needed to drive trade, security, and long-term economic resilience.”
The Forum builds on momentum from the 2025 CARICOM Heads of Government meetings and will bring together decision-makers from across the public and private sectors to identify practical solutions that support resilient, competitive, and secure maritime systems in the Caribbean.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Adrienne Arsht, Executive Vice Chair, Atlantic Council; Founder, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center
- The Hon. Matthew Samuda, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Jamaica
- General Laura Richardson (Ret.), United States Army; former Commander, US Southern Command
- Patricia Francis, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Caribbean Initiative, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, Atlantic Council
- Jeffrey Hall, CEO and Vice Chairman, Pan Jamaica Group Limited; Group Managing Director, JP; Chairman, Kingston Wharves Limited
- Tim Martin, President and CEO, Tropical Shipping
- Wazim Mowla, Senior Fellow, Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy, Florida International University
- Captain Gus Andersson, Associate Vice President, Port Development and Marine Operations, Royal Caribbean Group
- Lilia Burunciuc, Country Director for the Caribbean Countries, World Bank
- Dion Bethell, President and CFO, Nassau Container Port, Bahamas
- Erik Bethel, General Partner, Mare Liberum Capital
- Felipe Ezquerra, Head of Transport, Infrastructure and Energy Division, IDB Invest
- Adam Carter, Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking, FX and Derivative Sales, CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank
- Andrew Clutz, Head of Economic Development, Tractus Asia
The US–Caribbean Maritime and Ports Forum is the first in a planned series designed to sustain dialogue, deepen partnerships, and drive action on maritime cooperation between the United States and the Caribbean.
The Forum is held in partnership with Acero Capital, FGS Global, PortMiami, and Tropical Shipping, which also provided support to bring the Forum to fruition.
To register as a participant at the US–Caribbean Maritime and Ports Forum and to view all confirmed speakers and the agenda, please visit here.
Media wishing to attend in person should reach out to Salome Ramirez Vargas at sramirezvargas@atlanticcouncil.org to request accreditation. Media wishing to participate virtually through the event livestream should visit here.
