Latin-American ports poised to enter a new era of concessions

Event organized by the American Association of Port Authorities continues until tomorrow in Lima (Disclosure)

“We are at a crucial moment, where governments need to define their policies and regulatory frameworks to ensure that concessions continue to operate efficiently and competitively.” This statement by Juan Andrés Duarte, Executive President of AAPA Latam 2025, encapsulates the urgency currently facing the port sector in Latin America. Leading the Latin American Congress of Ports, held in Lima, Peru, Duarte emphasized what he considers essential for the future of the region’s maritime infrastructure.

AAPA Latam, an event organized by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), with support from Grupo Tribuna, began last Tuesday (24th) and runs through this Friday (26th), establishing itself as the largest gathering of the sector in the Americas. With record attendance — over 700 participants from four continents — the congress has turned Lima into a strategic hub for global trade this week, with an agenda focused on the major logistical challenges and opportunities.

According to Duarte, the next decade will be decisive. “We can expect that over the next ten years, nearly 40% of port concessions in Latin America will expire. And within the next 15 years, around 50% of current port connectivity concessions.” This, he says, demands immediate action from national governments to renew regulatory frameworks and ensure legal certainty for new investments.

“Brazil, of course, is a prime example of port investment and competitiveness. We witnessed the first wave of investments”, says Juan Andrés Duarte Executive President of AAPA Latam 2025 (Reproduction)

“We are seeing some progress in terms of public-private partnerships (PPPs), joint investments, slightly longer contract terms, and new ways of reconfiguring and rethinking how we will secure long-term investments”, he explains.

Innovation AAPA Latam 2025 also reflects the port community's efforts to adapt to a new technological reality. The program includes discussions on automation, decarbonization, artificial intelligence, security, and logistics integration, in addition to topics such as city-port governance and organized crime.

“Artificial intelligence is not something on the horizon — it’s already here. Our sector must embrace it and move forward with greater determination”, says Duarte. He emphasizes that investing in technology, sustainability, and infrastructure will be key to maintaining the competitiveness of Latin American ports.

The executive also notes that many terminals in the region are dealing with aging infrastructure, which creates urgency around modernization. “We need to invest in infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation.”

Second wave of investments calls for a different mindset If the first wave of port concessions in Latin America was marked by substantial investments in equipment and internal improvements at terminals, the second — now emerging — requires a bolder, more collaborative mindset aligned with the pillars of innovation, logistics, and effective governance. This message was echoed by various Brazilian leaders attending the AAPA Latam Congress.

For Disney Neto, Executive Director of Deme Group Brasil, this is a “very positive” moment for a joint reassessment of specific needs at each port. “When a terminal has the opportunity to discuss contract renewal, it’s clear that it will look inward, but everything around it also plays a very significant role in ensuring its success.”

Disney advocates that this new phase of contracts should serve as a lever to address key bottlenecks in the logistics chain, with required commitments outlined in the agreements.

Similarly, Ricardo dos Santos Moreira, Inspection Manager at the Santos Port Authority (APS), points out that the largest port in the Southern Hemisphere is already anticipating this new phase, without neglecting the issue of access. “We need to improve operations, cargo flow, and storage, but we cannot forget that all of this depends on a compatible access logistics system.”

Port consultant Maxwell Rodrigues, representing Grupo Tribuna at the event, reinforces that the moment calls for action and maturity from governments. “We are entering a new wave of investments in Latin America. The first wave focused on equipment and terminals. The second will be driven by innovation, technology, efficiency, and infrastructure”, he stated.

Risks The second wave of investments requires a different mindset. For Maxwell Rodrigues, the public sector’s lack of preparedness could be costly. “We run a huge risk of missing a major window of opportunity”, he warns. “It is time to attract investments to develop the national industry. That way, we will stop being mere exporters of commodities and enter the global trade system in a fundamentally different way.”