We said in our previous article that Valparaíso suffers from centralism and the application of a port model that does not understand the importance of the social and political link between the port and the citizenry, nor the physical link between the port and the city. A separate point is the economic issue and distribution of benefits, a topic that we will discuss in detail in the next article. For the time being, we return to centralism in light of an incidental fact.
Based on information disseminated by the Puerto Valparaíso Company (EPV), the government is pressing the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications and the Ministry of Finance to establish a logistic-port authority by decree within 6 months.
The reason for the above is that, given the current port legal asymmetry, 10 ports are granted a concession under Law 19542 of 1997, and the other 46 are granted a concession under decree with Law 340 of the year 1960, where Chile Navy decides to make a concession. This has various consequences, which we will mention, knowing that each deserves its own discussion.
The first and most obvious thing that arises from the coexistence of Law 19,542 and DFL 340/1960 is the impossibility of having a coherent port system. This creates a dispersion in port load information and multiplication of security risks. In other words, how information is handled by the port concessionaire and extra-port warehouse.
On the one hand, Customs does not have complete and complete information, the lack of control creates opportunities for illegal smuggling; And on the other hand, the lack of oversight and central authority in the terminals of the same bay weakens responsibilities in critical incidents.
Second, competition between ports and the absence of a unified system generate pressure for requests that are not in accordance with requirements or general policy, betting on expansion and growth at the expense of compatibility with other uses of the area.
Given this set of difficulties and risks, it was decided to create a clear port-logistics authority (national and local) to enable the State to adequately fulfill its functions of planning and coordination of the sector and promote a National Port Logistics Development Policy.
Among the objectives of this policy are: Strengthening and optimizing the role of state port companies as local port authorities Promoting a single regulation for the port system Sorting ports and their local networks according to the scope of their network , and contribute to the economic production sector.
The thrust underlying the government’s plan are the following: a) Institutional framework and regulation of the logistics-port sector. b) facilitating economic development c) regional planning and stability, and d) labor modernization
A commendable initiative so far. An old aspiration is to create a national port authority that would allow a single decision-making place for the entire sea-port logistics activity; and to deal with the administration of a matter which is particularly sensitive to planning, co-ordination and supervision; And clearly pouring profits for the regions is undoubtedly a contribution. Thus, for example, it would be possible to: control drug trafficking, identify responsibilities in case of spillage, hand over cargo to a neighboring port if necessary, among other advantages.
However, this initiative, given the changes taking place in this industry, requires a governance that allows other local and regional actors to act together, while providing the necessary skills to interact with other institutions, the company and the country in general. Gives a major role and who looks after the work of the port. is detailed.
With regard to the prominence of local and regional actors, there must be a central organization that decides, defines, plans and structures the port macrozones according to their characteristics, geographical and productive sectors; that they be included in regional development strategies as another fully integrated economic pillar, which in turn must negotiate with regional organizations that include governors, mayors, businessmen, labor and citizens to discuss their development with their demands beyond converge to guide the destiny of supply and demand in the markets.
On the other hand, it is necessary to extend the definition of “port work” to “Maritime-Port Logistics”, which has now been established in the Ministry of Labour. It should be extended from the 40 trades or businesses in this industry (Chile Labora) to all logistics chains: container terminals, logistics support areas, storage centers, among others, where work continues to grow in contrast to the platform of ports that serve as primary sectors. Jobs continue to decline with higher technology by setting up.
Along the ports it is expected that jobs will increase, millionaire income will also be distributed to the cities and their communities and they will finally understand at the national level that this sector has the capacity to not only produce but also to plan and co- To rule.
