Ramps Logistics CEO Shaun Rampersad is set to join international trade and project cargo experts at Breakbulk Americas 2026, where tariffs, trade uncertainty, and project costs will be key topics of discussion. The event will take place September 22–23 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, bringing together companies involved in logistics, energy, infrastructure, and heavy cargo transportation.
Rampersad will participate in the panel “Planning in the Fog: Risk, Tariffs and the Cost of Resilience” on September 23. The discussion will look at how businesses can manage major projects when changing trade rules and tariffs create additional pressure on costs and supply chains.
Ramps Logistics Brings a Caribbean Perspective
For Ramps Logistics, the panel provides an opportunity to discuss the practical effects of changing trade requirements from the perspective of a company based in Trinidad and Tobago.
The company has handled complex cargo movements between the Caribbean and the United States for decades. Heavy equipment used in energy and infrastructure projects can involve significant transportation costs, making changes in tariffs and customs requirements an important consideration for project planning.
Rampersad is expected to share industry experience on how logistics companies and project owners can respond when trade conditions change.
Tariffs Create New Challenges for Project Cargo
Tariff changes can affect more than the final price of imported goods. For large infrastructure and energy projects, additional duties can influence procurement decisions, transportation planning, budgets, and delivery schedules.
The Breakbulk Americas panel will bring together specialists from trade, customs, procurement, and project delivery to examine these challenges. The discussion is designed to address how companies can maintain project progress while dealing with changing trade policies and operational uncertainty.
Trinidad-Developed MAWI AI Returns to Breakbulk
Technology will also have a prominent place at the event through MAWI AI, a trade compliance platform developed by Trinidad and Tobago-based Valier Technologies.
Gerard Rique, Manager of Innovations and Solutions at Valier Technologies, will present the platform on the Breakbulk Voices Stage. MAWI AI is designed to help cargo owners, freight forwarders, and customs brokers manage trade compliance tasks from shipping documentation.
The platform can classify goods, calculate duties, determine export-control classifications, and prepare filing documentation. Its return to Breakbulk Americas follows recognition at the 2025 Breakbulk Americas Awards, where it was named a finalist for Best Logistics Strategy for an Energy Project.
Technology Meets Changing Trade Requirements
The return of MAWI AI comes as companies continue to deal with complex tariff and customs requirements. Correct product classification can affect the duties paid when goods enter the United States, making accurate documentation an important part of international logistics.
The platform’s presentation will give cargo owners, freight forwarders, and customs professionals an opportunity to see how the technology handles trade compliance processes and what additional capabilities are being developed.
A Broader Conversation Around Global Logistics
The participation of Ramps Logistics and Valier Technologies puts Trinidad and Tobago’s logistics and technology capabilities in the spotlight at a major industry gathering.
For businesses involved in project cargo, the discussions at Breakbulk Americas 2026 highlight the close connection between trade policy, logistics planning, technology, and project costs. As international supply chains continue to respond to changing requirements, these areas are becoming increasingly important to companies moving complex cargo across borders.
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