Latin American ports in jeopardy due to labor shortage

 

The shortage of labor in strategic ports of Latin America is triggering a logistics crisis that negatively impacts the international tradePorts such as Manzanillo and Puerto Quetzal are operating at more than 95% of their capacity, which translates into long waiting times for ships and containers.

 

According to data from MTM Logix, the decline in the port workforce over the past decade has coincided with resistance to process automation, exacerbating congestion at terminals.

 

The impact on the supply chains It is evident. Data from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reveal that port congestion has increased waiting times by up to 40%, affecting the loading and unloading of containers. A report from the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (KANAKAR) estimates that delays could represent up to 8% of the total cost of goods in international transport.

 

 

Resistance to automation exacerbates congestion at terminals operating at capacity limits

 

 

MTM Logix suggests three main strategies to address this challenge:

Selective automation: Investing in technology to automate key processes, such as container handling, without relying exclusively on human labor. In ports such as Veracruz, the implementation of automated cranes has reduced loading and unloading time by 30%.

Operational flexibility: Reconfigure logistics routes and consider alternative ports such as Veracruz, which currently has less congestion.

Cross-sector collaboration: Promote partnerships between companies and port authorities to improve working conditions and attract talent to the logistics sector. A recent IDB study reveals that improving working conditions in ports could increase productivity by up to 15% over the next 5 years.

In addition, the company is actively working with its customers to implement customized solutions that increase the resilience of their supply chains.

In a context of growing global trade, labor shortages in Latin American ports have become a critical challenge to the region's competitiveness in the international marketsThis landscape calls for innovative and collaborative strategies to ensure that supply chains can adapt to the complex demands of today's trade.

 

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