The port network as a tool for the region’s development

With the goal of consolidating the region’s logistical port communities, evaluating their development, and reviewing perspectives for the sector in the coming years, the Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), together with CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Maritime Authority of Panama (AMP) held the VI Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Port Logistics Communities on March 16 and 18 in Panama.

The meeting included five working sessions, in which were discussed the outlook for port activity in Latin America and the Caribbean as a result of the pandemic, intermodal transport, various experiences in the region, strategies for sustainable port development and communities, port cybersecurity and digital transformation.

At the meeting’s welcome ceremony, Antonio Silveira, CAF’s Physical Infrastructure and Digital Transformation Manager, commented that work is being done to improve the port network, since it is a platform for the exchange of best practices that will help the efficiency and management of logistics communities, thus providing a more competitive regional capacity. He also highlighted the importance of supporting projects that encourage digital integration, as well as CAF’s interest in supporting this type of action.

The Permanent Secretary of SELA, Ambassador Clarems Endara, commented: “The region needs innovative strategies and policies that facilitate and boost trade, strengthen the supply chain and promote the consolidation of innovative port communities.”

Fausto Arroyo, chief executive of the Infrastructure Analysis and Technical Evaluation Directorate, gave a presentation on how to recover from the Covid-19 crisis through port logistics alliances. In his presentation he commented: “In recent years we have worked to present a proposal that was approved by the states, which allowed CAF and SELA to promote the inclusion and implementation of the port community model and thus improve the port network, which aims to be a collaborative space where diversity is used as an asset, providing valuable information.” He also emphasized that we must work on the basis of reality, promote dissemination of the current model, strengthen the port communities that are starting up, and support those that are already in operation to improve community integration.