The “VIII Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Port Logistics Communities,” organised by the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), through the Network of Digital and Collaborative Ports, and in collaboration with CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean and the City Council of Veracruz, Mexico, began on Wednesday 16 October.

“We must build a common vision for the future of our logistics communities (…) Our goal is clear: to continue working together to strengthen our capacities, improve our infrastructures and make our supply chain more resilient and sustainable,” the Permanent Secretary of SELA, Ambassador Clarems Endara, said during the opening of the event.

In his speech, he highlighted that this eighth edition of the Regional Meeting, in addition to being a space to share experiences, celebrates the resilience, innovation and commitment of the logistics communities in the challenging context they have faced. “The pandemic and global supply chain disruptions have evaluated the region’s capacity to adapt and respond; however, in the midst of adversity, we have shown that we are capable of reinventing ourselves and improving (…) We have shown that innovation and collaboration are our best tools to move forward,” he said.

In this connection, Ambassador Endara underscored that part of the purpose of the meeting is focused on creating, within SELA, the Action Committee for the Network of Digital and Collaborative Ports, an independent and autonomous mechanism that can allow for the institutionalization of the Network, in order to guarantee its effective operation. “We want the institutionalisation of the Network of Digital and Collaborative Ports to turn it into a regional reference for the logistics community,” he added.

“Let us continue to inspire each other, learn from each other’s experiences and build a more prosperous future for our communities and our nations,” concluded the Permanent Secretary of SELA.

During the opening ceremony, Carolina Rueda, Director of Regional Integration at CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, stated that “regional integration is not only physical integration. It also comes from the generation and consolidation of these collaborative and working networks.”

In her speech, the Director highlighted that the initiative of the Network of Digital and Collaborative Ports “has been especially important because it has allowed us to be part of this collaborative system. We have had the opportunity to participate in this exercise of continuous work with SELA.”

“It is very important to take advantage of these spaces and the work of the ports network because of the fundamental role of ports in territorial development (…) We thank SELA for the joint work that we have been developing and we invite the participants to take advantage of this space and that the reflections help strengthen the space for dialogue and communication between cities and ports,” she said.

The event, which will be held virtually until Friday 18 October, is free of charge and will be conducted through the Zoom platform, with streaming on YouTube. To register, participants can access the registration form on our Web site: bit.ly/3XjVu21. Throughout its six planned working sessions, they will discuss topics covering the Network of Digital and Collaborative Ports; the regional Port System; International Supply Chains and Maritime Transport in a world of disruptions; Maritime and Port Security; and Industry 4.0 in the Port.

This edition of the Regional Meeting will be a space to address these issues that strengthen the ecosystem of digital and collaborative ports in the region. It will also facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences among Member States that face common problems and that aim to overcome, through joint efforts, the challenges of development.

The VIII Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Port Logistics Communities is part of SELA’s Work Programme for 2022 – 2026, specifically the programmes for Trade Facilitation, focused on designing public policies to reduce costs and barriers in the area of trade, opening new markets and positioning Latin American and Caribbean trade in international markets.