Computerization of maritime ports, e-commerce platforms and logistics communities

In the past few years there has been a clear trend of attaching increasing importance to "inforstructures", or the capacity of ports to process the information that accompanies foreign trade flows, so that the processing becomes a facilitating factor for trade, rather than an obstacle.This led to development of the concept of a port community system, which is a computerized system that interconnects all the members of a logistics community, making the exchange of documentation as effective as possible, reducing the volume of data to be re-entered in different systems and ultimately improving the whole process of monitoring an operation until its completion. Computerization of communications between all the actors at the ports facilitates integration of the community, while it also assists interaction between ports, thus forming logistics corridors.

Toward an integrated transport policy: institutions, infrastructure and logistics - the case in Chile

This edition of the FAL Bulletin presents a summary of the major outcomes of the workshop, “Toward an integrated transport policy: institutions, infrastructure and logistics”, which was organized by the ECLAC Infrastructure Services Unit, in late 2009. The objective of the event was to analyse the various government bodies involved in the transport sector, Chile’s experience in formulating transport policy and the challenge that formulating and executing integrated policies entails.

Intelligent transport systems in Latin American sea port logistics

This issue of the FAL bulletin analyses the role of intelligent transport systems (ITS) in sea port logistics in Latin America.

Security in the logistics chain and its impact on Mesoamerican competitiveness

This issue of the FAL Bulletin analyses the implications of logistics security for the competitiveness of the member countries of the Mesoamerica Project. This study analyses a number of international indicators related to logistics security and proposes a set of actions to improve the organization of the governments and their coordination with the private sector, to enhance the efficiency of the measures implemented and thus the competitiveness of their economies.

The need to facilitate and secure logistics processes in Latin America and the Caribbean

This FAL Bulletin examines the role of logistical security and facilitation in the competitiveness of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Logistics platforms as a pivotal element in competitiveness and sustainability

This issue of the FAL Bulletin examines the economic, institutional, social and environmental aspects of logistics platforms, which help to support competitive economies in a sustainable and egalitarian environment.

Developing integrated and sustainable policies on infrastructure, logistics and mobility in Mesoamerica

This issue of the FAL Bulletin summarizes the main outcomes of a regional workshop held in Costa Rica in November 2012 that brought together ministers and high-level authorities from the member countries of the Mesoamerica Project.

The potential of Aid for Trade to improve the infrastructure and logistics performance of landlocked developing countries of Latin America

Incluye bibliografía.

Logistics and trade facilitation between CARICOM and Central America

Includes bibliography.

Institutionality, logistics and international cooperation for the economic and social development: The case of the Plurinational State of Bolivia

Includes bibliography.

Logistics inefficiencies in latin american landlocked countries

This document sets out an initial proposal for measuring costs in logistics chains, and is part of a line of work of the Natural Resources and Infrastructure Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) that seeks to identify logistics inefficiencies in Latin America and the Caribbean that are detrimental to the sustainability of national and regional growth.

Logistics observatories and regional integration indicators: the Mesoamerica project

This FAL Bulletin analyses the development of logistics observatories and the construction of regional integration indicators in Latin America and the Caribbean. To this end, it examines experiences, in the region and worldwide, in relation to the construction of indicators and presents a set of policy recommendations for proper implementation. The Mesoamerica Project is used as a case study to construct a set of indicators for logistics infrastructures.

Logistics and mobility policies for sustainable development and regional integration: conceptual framework and regional experiences

This FAL Bulletin summarizes the main findings and proposals contained in the document “Políticas de logística y movilidad para el desarrollo sostenible y la integración regional”, recently published by the Natural Resources and Infrastructure Division (NRID), ECLAC. It contains a proposal for a paradigm shift in the formulation of national logistics and mobility policies, with common guidelines for Latin American and Caribbean countries.

An emergy-based evaluation of a reverse logistics network for steel recycling

Efficient implementation of recycling networks requires appropriate logistical structures for managing the reverse flow of materials from users to producers. The steel sheet distributor studied had established a protocol for scrap recovery with the steel plant and its customers. The company invested in producing containers, hiring a specialized labor force and in purchasing trucks for container transportation to implement the logistics network for recycling. That network interconnected the company with two kinds of customers: the ones returning scrap and the ones who preferred to continue business-as-usual. The logistical network was analyzed using emergy synthesis, and the data obtained were used to evaluate and compare the system's environmental costs and benefits from the perspective of the distributor and the steel plant operator. The use of emergy ternary diagrams provided a way to assess recycle strategies to compare the relative economic and environmental benefits of the logistical network implemented. The minimum quantity of scrap that the distributor must recover to improve environmental benefits was determined allowing decision on whether it is worth keeping the system running. The new assessment method proposed also may help policy-makers to create strategies to reward or incentive users of reverse logistics, and help to establish regulations, by decreasing taxes or stimulating innovation, for effectively implement the National Policy on Solid Waste. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.