Focused on Real-World Solutions for a Rapidly Evolving Intermodal Landscape

Intermodal EXPO brings together the people, companies, and ideas that are shaping the future of freight transportation. The 2026 program will deliver a powerful combination of industry insights, technology-driven solutions, and opportunities to learn from experts across the intermodal supply chain. Whether you're an operator, BCO, technology provider, policymaker, or service partner, the EXPO program offers relevant, actionable content you won't find anywhere else in the industry.

Dialogue Box Speaker Proposals Now Open - Deadline: July 10

For more information and to apply, please visit the online submission form.

Interested in Hosting an Event at Intermodal EXPO? Deadline: July 24, 2026 - Apply here
  • 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

    Registration and Exhibitor Move-in

  • 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

    Academic Challenge (closed)

  • 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

    Task Force & Working Group Mtgs

  • 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

    Champagne and Cargo Reception (VIP Invite only)

  • 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

    Academic Challenge (Open to all)

    Enjoy presentations from our IANA Scholarship School student teams as they share their solutions to questions raised in a timely intermodal case that they just received the day before! Winning teams are announced on stage during Tuesday’s Opening General session.

  • 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

    Registration & Exhibitor Move-in

  • 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

    M&R Committee Meeting - Updates & Education

  • 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

    Safety and Security Committee Meeting - Updates & Education

  • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

    Operations Committee Meeting - Updates & Education

  • 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

    Board of Directors Meeting (Closed)

  • 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

    Student / FLIP Tour(s) (Invite Only)

  • 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

    Shipper Facility Tours (Invite Only)

  • 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

    Logistics Volleyball League - Beach Party Event

  • 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

    FLIP Reception (Invite Only)

  • 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

    New Member/ First-Time Attendee / Committee Leadership Reception / VIPs - (Invite Only)

  • 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

    Welcome Reception

  • 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

    Board of Directors Dinner (Invite Only)

  • 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

    Registration

  • 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.

    Networking Breakfast

  • 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

    General Session: Welcome and Awards; Inside Intermodal Panel

    Inside Intermodal

    Join us as we kick off Intermodal EXPO with this annual favorite. Hear from our panel of experts as they provide their insights on the current state of the intermodal supply chain and where we are headed. With detailed coverage of ocean carriers, truckers, 3PLs, and intermodal, you’ll get the inside view of key topics affecting your operations.

  • 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

    Live Podcast Recordings

  • 9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

    Networking Break

  • 9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

    General Session: Featured Speaker

    Jim Vena
    CEO, Union Pacific

    Take a deep dive into the future of rail and the evolving intermodal landscape with one of the industry's most influential leaders.

  • 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

    Exhibit Hall Open:

    Enjoy on-floor education, rail updates, live demos, and networking lounges.

  • 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

    Exhibit Hall Concurrent Sessions

    Applied Technologies

    AI in Intermodal: From Framework to Field

    AI has moved from a question mark to a strategic mandate in intermodal, with organizations now focused on closing the gap between awareness and execution. Since first discussed at IANA EXPO 2024, we have built shared frameworks, including the Four Pillars of AI (GenAI, Agentic AI, Applied AI, and Analytical AI), and the whitepaper Intelligent Container Journey giving intermodal its first shared vocabulary for practical AI deployment across the container lifecycle, that are shaping practical adoption. This session provides a 2026 reality check on each pillar and equips attendees with tools to assess readiness, drive adoption, and align internal stakeholders around an AI strategy.

    Security & Risk

    Legal & Regulatory Issues Intermodal Needs to Know

    This session explores the fast evolving policies shaping safety, data use, liability, and cross modal operations in today’s intermodal landscape. Hear the most consequential federal and state developments, highlighting where regulatory shifts intersect with technology, equipment, and operational practices. Attendees will gain clear, actionable insight to help their organizations stay compliant, anticipate change, and confidently navigate the legal pressures reshaping intermodal.

    Tools for Growth

    Strengthening the Port-Rail Connection

    International freight has fueled intermodal growth for 40 years and strengthening the port‑rail interface is a major opportunity to unlock even greater efficiency and reliability. This session brings together leaders from marine, rail, and road to highlight collaborative solutions that are already improving fluidity and setting the stage for long‑term resilience. Attendees will gain a constructive, multi‑stakeholder view of how we can turn today’s challenges into a more synchronized and competitive gateway ecosystem.

  • 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

    BCO Luncheon (Invitation Only)

  • 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

    Exhibit Hall Concurrent Sessions

    Applied Technologies

    EV Reality Check: Is the Industry Shifting & Why?

    EV adoption is accelerating, but the pace and direction vary widely across operations and regions—raising real questions about what’s driving the shift and where it’s actually taking hold. Our panel examines the operational, regulatory, and economic forces reshaping equipment strategies, separating hype from measurable progress. Attendees will gain a grounded view of where electrification is truly viable today, what barriers remain, and how intermodal stakeholders can prepare for the next wave of zero emission innovation.

    Security & Risk

    Cargo Theft: What’s Next and Why It Matters

    Cargo theft is evolving in both scale and sophistication, creating new vulnerabilities across our intermodal landscape. Join us as we examine emerging tactics, shifting criminal networks, and the operational and financial risks they pose to intermodal stakeholders. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the latest threat patterns and proactive measures that can strengthen security, protect assets, and keep freight flowing.

    Tools for Growth

    Expanding Your Leadership Range

    In today's complex intermodal environment, your default leadership style isn't enough. Growing operations, emerging leaders, and uncertainty demand versatility. In this session, you'll discover the Six Leadership Avatars, a framework that reveals your natural strengths, exposes your blind spots, and most importantly, gives you the tools to shift your style based on what your team and situation actually need. You'll leave with a clear understanding of how each avatar shows up, what drives their decisions, how they communicate, and the impact they have on your team's trust, alignment, and results.

  • 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

    Exhibit Hall Happy Hour

  • 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

    VIP / BCO Reception (Invitation Only)

  • 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

    IANA After Dark - Join us for an evening party to remember - NEW!

  • 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

    Registration

  • 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

    Networking Breakfast

  • 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

    Live Podcast Recordings

  • 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

    General Session: FLIP Completion Ceremony & Featured Speaker

    Katie Farmer
    President and Chief Executive Officer, BNSF Railway

    Gain leadership insight and strategic vision from more than 30 years of railroading experience, with a focus on operations, service, and safety.

  • 9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

    Networking Break

  • 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

    General Session: Closing Keynote Speaker

    Guenther Steiner
    CEO, Red Bull KTM Tech3

    Discover what it takes to lead high-performance teams and make bold decisions in fast-moving environments with the former Haas F1 Team Principal.

  • 11:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

    Exhibit Hall Open:

    Enjoy on-floor education, rail updates, live demos, and networking lounges.

  • 11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

    Exhibit Hall Concurrent Sessions

    Applied Technologies

    Collaborative Tech to Combat Fragmented Visibility

    Intermodal is entering a new growth window, driven by tighter truckload capacity, elevated operating costs, rising fuel pressure, and renewed shipper interest in truck-to-rail conversion. But growth will not come from capacity alone. It will come from the ability to orchestrate increasingly complex moves across rail, drayage, customer commitments, equipment availability, accessorial exposure, and service expectations. This panel will explore how intermodal leaders are applying technology to move beyond basic shipment tracking and toward better execution: predictive visibility, exception management, automated planning, equipment velocity, multi-leg coordination, and smarter mode selection. Panelists will discuss where technology is creating measurable value, where the industry still struggles, and what practical steps companies can take to make intermodal easier to adopt, scale, and trust. Attendees will leave with a clear model of where intermodal’s service gaps originate, a data-grounded understanding of the operational cost of fragmentation, and a perspective on how the industry should align.

    Security & Risk

    Smart Insurance Strategies for Intermodal Operators

    Smart insurance planning is essential as intermodal operators face rising risks, tighter contracts, and more complex liability exposures. This session breaks down the coverage gaps, policy structures, and risk transfer practices that most directly affect day to day operations and long term resilience. Attendees will leave with practical ways to strengthen protection, reduce avoidable losses, and align insurance decisions with the realities of modern intermodal networks.

    Tools for Growth

    Fostering Intermodal Growth

    What does it truly take to convert the current intermodal moment driven by fuel costs, truck capacity, and rate spread into a new era of prolonged intermodal growth? Join us for a candid conversation across the modes as we look at the real opportunities for intermodal to be the foundation of a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable freight ecosystem. Also discussed will be the present challenges we as an industry need to collaboratively address head on to accurately position intermodal as the strategic advantage driven by cost stability, network resilience, sustainability, service reliability, and scalability.

  • 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

    Exhibit Hall Concurrent Sessions

    Applied Technologies

    Elevating & Expanding Core Operational Systems

    Strengthening core operational systems is critical to keeping pace with customer expectations, data demands, and network complexity. Explore how your company can upgrade legacy processes, integrate smarter technologies, and build more resilient, scalable operational foundations. Attendees will gain practical insight into prioritizing investments, improving system weak points while rethinking current safety, compliance, and productivity measures, and positioning their organizations for long term operational strength.

    Security & Risk

    Cyber Security: Mitigating Operational Risk for Intermodal Networks

    Cyber threats are escalating across transportation, making cybersecurity a core operational risk rather than an IT only concern for intermodal networks. This session tackles how attacks can disrupt terminals, rail operations, and container flows—and the practical defenses that strengthen resilience. Attendees will gain clear strategies for reducing exposure, improving response readiness, and protecting the integrity of increasingly connected intermodal systems.

    Tools for Growth

    Marketing Tool Kit for Intermodal

    The marketing landscape for transportation and logistics companies is shifting faster than ever—cold calling is ineffective, buyer behavior has transformed, and the market is being flooded with generic content. This session provides practical strategies for modern lead generation, including how to purposefully use email, content, social media, and AI to build authority, spark real engagement, and stay visible in an era where “no click” AI search increasingly shapes discovery. Attendees will learn how to rise above the noise with credible, community driven visibility strategies that work even as traditional websites and SEO lose influence.

  • 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

    Farewell Reception

  • 4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

    Exhibitor Move-out

  • 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

    HTA Meeting & Reception (invite only)

  • 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

    Connie Awards (invite only)

  • 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

    Exhibitor Move-out