The fourth edition of the Port Gathering was recently held in the city of Iquique. The event, which brought together more than 150 port leaders, customers and company executives, provided an opportunity to reflect on the main challenges facing the port industry and to discuss proposals for strengthening the multipurpose terminals that the company operates in Chile (Iquique, Antofagasta, San Antonio and San Vicente), SAAM Terminals said.
The CEO of SAAM Terminals, Mauricio Carrasco, highlighted the importance of this event, which “is already a tradition in the company and a unique activity in the industry that allows us to demonstrate our commitment to the development and care of labor relations based on dialogue and trust.” He added, “we are convinced that this is a key space for the leaders of our terminals to exercise leadership among their peers and to directly address customer concerns, as this helps us to move forward as a team and always keep safety as a core value.”
At the meeting, participants also discussed the role of Chile’s operations for the company and their importance within its strategic growth plan.
“This event was an opportunity to openly raise relevant issues of concern and discuss ways forward. We appreciate having our concerns heard and sharing experiences and good practices from other terminals in the country,” said Carlos Chacón, a leader at ITI, the port hosting this version.
“For ITI it was an honor to host this meeting. Listening to our customers and understanding their expectations and priorities helps us to continue improving our work to support foreign trade safely and efficiently,” said Pommiez.
Bioceanic Corridor and Port Challenges
At the event, the mayor of Iquique, Mauricio Soria, referred to the Bioceanic Corridor and the great news it means for Chile. “That a world-class giant like Brazil has set its sights on northern Chile to be able to trade with all of Asia Pacific and with the entire Pacific Coast of South and North America opens up great growth potential for us,” he said.
In addition, in the panel “How does the port business generate value for customers?” representatives of key companies such as BHP, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd and Cosco Chile spoke about the opportunities and challenges for the West Coast of South America. The importance of operational continuity was emphasized, as well as the good coordination between the ports and customers to achieve high levels of efficiency. They also discussed ITI’s strategic role for Bolivian foreign trade. In addition, they touched on the impact of the port of Chancay from the perspective of the shipping companies. The integration of women into operations was another topic addressed, with special emphasis on BHP’s experience, which shared its progress in this area.
Additionally, labor challenges were addressed from the workers’ point of view. A motivational talk was also given by the three-time Dakar Rally champion, Francisco “Chaleco” López, which allowed the participants to reflect on good practices to continue advancing in self-care.
The meeting concluded with a visit to the Esmeralda Museum and ITI site 4.