With a significant number of attendees, the Logistics and Foreign Trade Meeting 2023 (Enloce), organized by Empresa Portuaria Valparaíso (EPV) in conjunction with the Logistics Forum of Valparaiso (Folovap), was held this Wednesday at the National Maritime Museum, highlighting the participation of the Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Juan Carlos Muñoz, who in his opening speech called to strengthen collaborative networks between the various actors in the industry and promote development and innovation. The event had 16 exhibiting companies in the stand area, showing what they do to the more than 500 attendees who came to the event, among whom were authorities, businessmen, academics, university students and people linked to the industry. Among the subjects that were discussed in depth in the exhibitions were the path to carbon neutrality, the application of technologies and safety in logistics chains, instances in which national and international exhibitors shared their knowledge, opening the conversation to the public. Juan Carlos Muñoz, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, said that “the country’s port logistics systems are fundamental for Chile’s development and productivity, our efficiency, future sustainability, and also for the country’s security, and there are many actors involved in these systems. Whether they come from the private or public sector, therefore, we need this logistic chain to work in the best possible way and this type of meetings are the ones that facilitate and allow us to be alert and attentive to challenges, to technological opportunities, and at the same time to identify opportunities for collaboration so that these logistic chains work in a good way in these multiple dimensions. As a ministry, we are moving forward and seeing how we can contribute, and at the same time coordinate these efforts”. In addition, the Secretary of State emphasized with respect to the Agreement for Valparaíso that “it is attractive and as the Ministry of Transportation we have been very attentive. We believe that the vision behind the Agreement, of these four projects, offers the Greater Valparaíso a vision of where to go that is interesting. It is good that the different local actors are coordinated and aligned, because that makes it easier for a project of this nature to take place. As a Ministry we are looking at how to help this vision to eventually materialize”. Luis Eduardo Escobar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Empresa Portuaria Valparaíso, referred to the issues addressed at the meeting, stating that “the topics to be addressed this year are extremely relevant. Carbon neutrality is a challenge for humanity, not only for the Chilean logistics system. In the context of the new tender within the port expansion, we have raised the need to incorporate more and more equipment that works on the basis of electricity, to remove everything that works on the basis of fuel, so we hope that in the future the ships can be served through cleaner systems that the port has available”. Meanwhile, Franco Gandolfo, general manager of Puerto Valparaíso and president of Folovap, commented that “this eighth version of Enloce finds us at a very important moment as a port. At a time when we have made significant progress in the great challenges that Valparaiso has not only in terms of being a better port, to be a competitive, safe and efficient port system, but also that challenge that has to do with achieving the necessary institutional, citizen and national agreements for the growth of our port. In addition, in this opportunity we have the opportunity to learn about new experiences and share our own, enriching us as a community and involving us with all those who visit us”. For his part, the mayor of Valparaíso, Jorge Sharp, linked the event to the recent Agreement for Valparaíso signed on October 23, stating that “we are living in times in the country in general, which has to do with what is happening in the region and in the city, where there seems to be little room to look to the future with optimism. I think that agreements and views of these characteristics make us look at the future in a much more hopeful way. The country needs many more agreements like this one, in fact, I hope that in all the port cities there are understandings like the one we reached. The country needs this, as does the maritime port activity”. Finally, Rodrigo Lobo, general manager of Fisa, producer of the event, said that “the analysis of the future of port logistics, which is an important factor for the economic momentum of the country, was addressed by top-level speakers who delivered many lights on the future of the industry, and with specific emphasis on issues such as decarbonization, digitization, exports, employment and investment. And, on the other hand, we had an important portfolio of exhibitors who were able to showcase their projects and consolidate their continued contribution to this entire industry.”