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Morning registration and networking breakfast

Conference welcome

Speaker:

Emily Harris

Conference Producer

Argus

Chairperson's opening remarks

Speaker:

Jonathan Weston

Editor, Speciality Products

Argus

Keynote panel: The state of play for bitumen and asphalt across Asia

• What do refineries make of the current supply/demand outlook for the coming year?
• How have Asian refiners’ crude slates evolved in recent years and could they continue to shift into 2025 in response to further geopolitical tensions and policy incentivising further curbing of emissions?
• What are the opportunities available to Singaporean bitumen industry participants - including tackling decarbonisation, new export opportunities in Africa, boosted future demand from Southeast Asian road-building countries and more?

Argus presents: Bitumen in Asia – competing trading hubs, volatile HSFO relationship and more

• Key market fundamentals: Understand key market drivers behind supply, demand and their impact on bitumen pricing across Asia.
• How are different key trading hubs for this region – including Singapore, South Korea, Middle East and Europe – competing with one another and what impact does this have on the wider industry?
• How is bitumen’s relationship with crude and high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) evolving – why and how has the relationship become more volatile?

Argus presents: Middle East and India bitumen demand flows - a vital import-export relationship

• Key market fundamentals: Understand key market drivers behind supply, demand and their impact on bitumen pricing across the Middle East and India
• How does the monsoon season and government elections affect seasonal demand for bitumen in this region and has 2024 been any different to previous years?
• How is the flow of bitumen from the Middle East to India being altered by changing logistics, security concerns and more?

Morning networking and refreshments break

Paving the way for the future: Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), low temperature bitumen, polymer modified bitumen (PMB) and the journey to a sustainable bitumen industry

• Bitumen is designed for high durability and longevity which are two key pillars of sustainability – but what technologies are being developed to further reduce the emissions involved in the production and processing of bitumen and asphalt?
• How can sustainability initiatives best be partnered with increased demand for roads and even higher volumes of traffic loads to ensure the continued durability and longevity of new roads?
• How can the development of specialty additives and binders further assist in the production of sustainable bitumen and help mitigate issues of viscosity and mixing temperatures?

Speed networking

Bring your business cards and maximise the efficiency of you networking with this dedicated and structured time to meet your fellow delegates. All persons will be given a few minutes to interact, network and exchange business cards with other participants. At the end of each round, a bell will ring and an announcement made that all participants will move on. Full details will be released closer to the event.

Lunch break

The buyer’s perspective: How has the bitumen and asphalt industry in Australia and New Zealand evolved and what is the impact on Asian markets?

• Australia and New Zealand are key export destinations for Asian-produced bitumen, and developments in their regional road construction and local bitumen demand can have lasting impact on Asian trade dynamics
• How are intra-regional trade flows shifting? Will China and Singapore continue to be the biggest exporters to Australia and New Zealand?
• How are Australia and New Zealand based companies addressing sustainability whilst ensuring they continue to meet import demand?

Afternoon networking and refreshments break

Breaking new ground: The evolution of bitumen vessels and a new freight industry

• How are regional logistics evolving, including new, larger bitumen vessels and developments in containerised and bulk storage?
• Where are we seeing orders for larger vessels coming from and what impact are they having?
• What effect will a sustained push toward a more efficient and rejuvenated bitumen logistics network have on getting product to key development bright spots, and could this aid in the further development of Southeast Asia and Africa?

Chairperson's closing remarks and day one concludes

Day one networking reception

Morning networking and breakfast

Chairperson's opening remarks

Argus presents: The asphalt annual outlook for Asia and the Middle East to 2029

• Looking to 2029, what can we expect between now and then in terms of supply and demand fundamentals, pricing implications, and the development of inter-regional trade flows?
• How will bitumen’s relationship with crude oil, VGO, and fuel oil evolve in the coming years?
• What is the big picture for Asian bitumen trade considering the changing refinery landscape, economic recessions and sustainability pressures?

Speakers Include:

Irina Vinogradova

Senior Manager - Consulting

Argus

China market focus – economic recovery, road and highway projects and future growth opportunities

• What are the current supply and demand expectations for bitumen in China and how does this relate to announced road development projects?
• How is China’s economic recovery tied into the bitumen industry?
• What role is sustainably produced bitumen playing in the future of China’s bitumen industry?

Morning networking and refreshments break

New cities, increased road developments, policy drivers: How are Southeast Asian countries impacting the wider Asian bitumen market?

• How are these developing markets in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and Indonesia structured?
• What is the scale and stage of announced construction projects in Southeast Asia? How are road developing countries balancing completing projects in a timely and cost-effective manner with tackling emissions?
• What is the impact of these exporting regions in the overall APAC seaborne market?

Highway to success: Mass road development in Africa and the emergence of a booming demand centre

• With mass development taking shape across the continent at national and Trans-African highway level, how can African road builders and Asian bitumen producers' best partner for success?
• How is demand for bitumen growing across Africa and how does this vary between North, West, East, South and Central Africa? Where can Africa source its bitumen from to ensure high quality and sustained supply?
• How does Africa fit into the global supply and demand map and how does geography affect this – for example South Africa is conveniently positioned to be able to buy from Europe and Asia, how does this impact the respective markets?

Chairperson's closing remarks

Conference concludes and networking lunch, continue private meetings