MegaTrans is set to return to the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre in September with a conference program built around the real-world pressures and opportunities reshaping Australia’s freight and logistics sector.
Reflecting an industry in transition, the program will explore the key challenges shaping the future of supply chains, from decarbonisation and automation to workforce pressures and infrastructure planning.
A standout session, Beyond Diesel: The Best Way Forward, will feature Andrew Newman, Director of Policy and Strategy at Freight Victoria, and Heather Bone, Director of Sustainability at Team Global Express. Joined by a panel of industry experts, the session will explore practical pathways beyond diesel as the sector works toward a lower-emissions future.
Innovation across the freight task will be explored in Automate All Avenues: Driving All Modes Forward, featuring Bruno Porchietto, CEO of Victoria International Container Terminal Melbourne, and Gren John Britto, Amazon Australia DSP Country Leader. Together with fellow panellists, the discussion will examine how automation is transforming operations across ports, road and beyond.
Mid-tier operators, often the backbone of the sector, will be the focus of Reinvigorating Mid-Tier Logistics, featuring Steven Ballerini, CEO of the Australasian Supply Chain & Logistics Association. The session will bring together a range of perspectives on how these businesses are under growing pressure from rising costs, tight margins and long payment terms, and how to overcome these challenges.
Strategic infrastructure planning will take centre stage in Location, Location, Location: Establishing DCs for the Future, featuring Hermione Parsons, CEO and Managing Director of the Australian Logistics Council. Alongside other industry representatives, the session will unpack the tip and tricks needed to find the right space and how to fit it out to meet the evolving needs of the sector.
Sustainability will remain a key theme throughout the program. In Greener By Design: Manufacturing Driving Sustainability Across the Supply Chain, Scott Edwards, Associate Director Sustainability at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia, will join fellow panellists to explore how sustainability is being embedded across the supply chain.
Workforce challenges will also be addressed in Recruiting Right: Overcoming Staff Shortages, featuring Tony Mellick, CEO of Hi-Trans Express. Together with other industry voices, the session will focus on practical strategies to attract and retain talent in a competitive labour market.
These sessions form part of a broader conference program that brings together a diverse lineup of speakers from across the supply chain, ensuring a wide range of perspectives and real-world insights.
Siobhan Rocks, General Manager – Events at Prime Creative Media said the 2026 program reflects both the urgency and opportunity facing the sector.
“Freight and logistics are under real pressure right now, and that’s exactly why this program matters,” Rocks said.
“We’ve built it around the conversations the industry is already having on the ground and brought together the people who can speak to what’s actually changing and what comes next.”
With more speakers and sessions to be announced, the MegaTrans 2026 program is shaping up to give businesses practical ideas, sharper insight and a clearer path forward in a fast-changing freight and logistics landscape.
Free registrations are now open: https://megatrans.com.au/attend/
