Collaborative Logistics Plan will seek to optimize the Chilean port foreign trade chain

The Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Gloria Hutt, together with the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Lucas Palacios, announced on October 13 the Collaborative Logistics Plan (PLC), an instance of cooperation between the public and private sectors that seeks to facilitate the operation of the different actors that participate in port activity and associated services, especially just before the start of the high season for foreign trade.

The purpose is to achieve better efficiency in the operations of the ports of San Antonio and Valparaíso, and to optimize the logistics chain in port environments and from there to all regions of the country.

One of the objectives of this initiative is to identify a set of measures and lines of action that allow mitigating the global effects that the pandemic has generated on port activity, so that the local logistics system optimizes its operation. Worldwide, in the last twelve months, the logistics-port systems have experienced congestion situations, cost overruns and other negative impacts, both for service providers and users.

Work axes

The Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, together with the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, collected relevant information about gaps and opportunities for improvement in efficiency and productivity of the logistics chains of the Central Macrozone, thanks to dialogue with the participating stakeholders of these processes.

For these challenges, five lines of work were defined, establishing commitments and agreements between the parties that range from the strengthening of care capacities and the coordination of public entities (both services and companies) to the greater involvement and flexibility of private actors. as transport and logistics service providers, freight dispatchers and receivers

The five lines of action of the Collaborative Logistics Plan address the following initiatives in association with public and private entities:

• Minimize operational restrictions in ports:

This management, which will be led by the Port Companies of Valparaíso (EPV) and San Antonio (EPSA), intends to generate instruments that improve the security conditions for the arrival of ships and the services to support their maneuvers, maximizing the availability of the mooring fronts in the event of weather events such as storm surges.

It has the participation of the General Directorate of the Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine (DIRECTEMAR), the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, the Directorate of Port Works of the Ministry of Public Works and the port terminals.

• Maximize the productivity of port terminals

This initiative, which will be led by the Port Companies of Valparaíso (EPV) and San Antonio (EPSA), aims to make efficient use of the terminal’s land service capacity and decongest accesses in their operating hours.

It has the participation of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) and the Office of Agrarian Studies and Policies (ODEPA), the Ministry of Finance and the National Customs Service, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications and the participation of the private sector through port terminals, land transport unions, importers and exporters associations, customs agencies unions, container depots and extra-port warehouses.

• Strengthen the conditions of land accessibility to ports

This initiative, which will be led by the Undersecretary of Crime Prevention of the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security, aims to ensure that carriers can provide their services safely, both for drivers and for the transported cargo.

It has the participation of Carabineros, Investigative Police, the General Directorate of Concessions of the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Transport, in addition to the participation of the private sector through the transport unions and the concessioned highways .

• Improve chain coordination with warehouses and extra-ports

This initiative, which will be led by the Central Macrozone Port Logistics Communities – San Antonio Logistics Community (COLSA) and Valparaíso Logistics Forum (FOLOVAP), aims to improve communication channels between key stakeholders in order to minimize the impacts of port activity on the city.

It has the participation of the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Economy, the Agricultural and Livestock Service and the Ministry of Agriculture, in addition to the participation of the private sector through container warehouses, extra-port warehouses, shipping companies, trade unions. customs agencies and land transport unions.

• Ensuring a shipping operation without cost overruns

This initiative, which will be led by the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, aims to reduce the impact of cost overruns caused by port congestion on exporters and importers and that generate losses in competitiveness to national foreign trade.

It has the participation of the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, in addition to the participation of the private sector through shipping companies and associations of importers and exporters.