Review of regional developments: Latin america and the caribbean

Every year, the Review of Maritime Transport focuses upon developments in a particular region. Last year, the focus was on developments in Asia, while the previous year concentrated upon Africa. This year, the focus of the regional review is on developments in Latin America and the Caribbean. This chapter in particular looks at the developments which have occurred since 2003. Liner shipping and intermodal connectivity are identified as key factors for the region's trade competitiveness. Latin America and the Caribbean experienced a continued GDP per capita growth of 4.9 per cent during the period 2003–2007, driven largely by Asian demand for the region's natural resources. During the period, exports and imports grew at an annual rate of 8 and 10 per cent, respectively. Port throughput reached 1.47 billion tons in 2006, putting a significant strain upon port infrastructure. With the expansion of the Panama Canal and related port developments, discussions of potential hub ports have gained new impetus, and ambitious new port projects are driven by expectations to become regional logistics hubs. This chapter reviews those port developments, as well as some other regional maritime clusters.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure