• BREAKBULK & PROJECT CARGO
  • April 23-25, 2025 | Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Louisiana

Brian Putallaz

Global Shippers Association (GSA)

Global Commodity Manager

Brian Putallaz is a Senior Commodity Manager with the Global Shippers Association (GSA). The GSA is a nonprofit organization which aims to leverage the collective transportation spend of it’s members across all transport modes. Members are comprised by a multitude of some of the largest shippers in the United States, ranging from OEM’s to BCO’s. The GSA provides it’s members with market intelligence as well as support in the procurement and contracting of their transportation spend. In this role, Brian leads a global team providing GSA members with support in all aspects of ocean breakbulk transportation. Responsibilities include vessel chartering, marine surveying, and stevedoring. Brian has had an extensive career in the maritime industry, during which he has managed port operations across the United States as well as held commercial roles developing markets across the globe. Brian holds a BS concentrated in global logistics and transportation from the College of Charleston as well an MBA from Georgia Southern University.

Sessions With Brian Putallaz

Friday, 26 April

  • 10:50am - 11:30am (CST) / 26/apr/2024 03:50 pm - 26/apr/2024 04:30 pm

    Adventures in Ro-Ro: Demand, Congestion, and Tight Capacity

    Thanks to a booming post-COVID automotive market and soaring demand for high-and-heavy rolling stock, roll-on, roll-off vessel operators have seen charter rates rise by more than 70% since early 2022 even as global shipping indices for the multipurpose and container sector have slipped by 30% and 80%, respectively, from their COVID market highs. Ro-ro carriers enjoy the fruits of transporting high-paying project and breakbulk cargo, but demand for contracted automotive and high-and-heavy capacity has been so strong that there is virtually no spot capacity available, and a portion of wheeled cargo has spilled over to breakbulk, bulk, and container carriers. Congestion, in some cases heightened by stringent quarantine regimes, have only exacerbated the situation. What options can breakbulk shippers and logistics service providers expect from the ro-ro sector? The ro-ro orderbook has jumped from 80 vessels in late 2022 to more than 100 today. Will this increased capacity ease the crunch, allowing ro-ro to reprise its role as a “swing” provider of breakbulk space, or will the sector primarily be replacing and modernizing existing capacity? This session will analyze the current and expected ro-ro sector and market and the implications for high-and-heavy, breakbulk, and project cargo shippers. 
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