Don't let the name fool you. The Fifth Annual Northeast Trade and Transportation Conference hosted by the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade (CONECT) may have plenty of local flavor, but the session topics and influential speakers are of interest to shippers nationwide.

The conference, slated for April 5–6 in Newport, R.I., features panels on the U.S. Customs Service's automation challenges, electronic commerce in international trade, export compliance, and trends in international transportation. Attendees will also hear updates on customs regulations, legislation affecting international trade, and global economic developments.

Nationally known speakers on the program include: John Durant, director-commercial rulings division, U.S. Customs Service and head of the agency's Entry Revision Project; Philip Spayd, director of field operations, North Atlantic, U.S. Customs Service; Arthur Litman, vice president, regulatory affairs, FedEx Trade Networks; Donald Cameron, former chairman of the National Industrial Transportation League's Ocean Shipping Committee; and customs attorney and Logistics columnist Rodney C. Schonland. Other speakers include Washington trade attorney Peter Friedman and Ron Sorrow of RoadLink USA.

For more information about the conference, contact CONECT Executive Director Carol Turner at (508) 481-0424 or send an e-mail message to conectorg@aol.com .