• 4 min de lectura
• 4 min de lectura
He is one of the mayors with the most experience and influence in port matters. Omar Vera, who is now serving his fifth non-consecutive term as mayor of San Antonio, believes that Chile is progressing slower than its logistics system requires, a slowdown that is evident in terms of the infrastructure that supports it. This situation, according to the communal leader, leaves not only trade vulnerable but also the cities that host the ports.
In an interview with PortalPortuario, the former head of the National Association of Municipalities of Port and Coastal Cities addressed the main challenges facing San Antonio in terms of infrastructure and connectivity, the need to advance in coordinated planning between the public and private sectors, and the expectations he has regarding port development during the current government.
Vera also referred to an issue that generates uncertainty, such as the future of the bulk terminal currently managed by Puerto Panul.
As mayor of a port commune and former president of the National Association of Port Cities, what is your opinion on the current state of the sector?
I believe that Chile has been a little slower than the logistics system and shipping transport require. In that sense, I am referring to infrastructure, connectivity issues, and the relationship of the port system with the respective cities that host the port facilities.
What is missing?
It is necessary to establish a plan, a master plan, so that the public and private sectors advance in adequate investments in such a way that the system and the city function efficiently so that everyone progresses, and that leads to well-being, which is no small matter, but when there is willingness and a common vision, progress can be made quickly.
What can be asked of José Antonio Kast's Government, which has practically exhausted its first year without addressing the ports?
That we can sit at the table with the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Economy, and stakeholders such as the Port Company (San Antonio), the Municipality, the concessionaires, and in that way, generate a common vision.
What are the urgent needs, without leaving the port sphere, of a city like San Antonio?
The urgency is to improve access to the port, which is only one. When an accident occurs, it gets jammed and the city explodes. There must be a much more efficient solution that does not affect the city, because that is what the common citizen, who generally supports port activity, demands.
Improving accessibility, one would assume, would give greater capacity to the port, which already has its expansion project delayed?
Yes, of course. Efficiency in connectivity makes cargo flow much faster, and that benefits global trade, both for the importer who commercializes products arriving in San Antonio from abroad, and for those who use the system to send their products abroad.
In one of your previous terms, you led the change of land use to enable the Outer Port project in the southern sector of the commune. This included the transfer of the northern sector to extend the Paseo Bellamar and, consequently, remove the bulk terminal from there by 2029, a date that is just around the corner. Is there a plan to avoid losing grain transfer capacity in San Antonio?
Yes, we are working with Empresa Portuaria San Antonio and the concessionaire Puerto Panul itself, as well as the municipal technical teams, to agree on a common vision, a strategy so that we can then go through the Municipal Council with the participation of the community in terms of highlighting the importance of grain transfer in the Port of San Antonio and all that it entails for the central macro-zone.
Are there concrete advances? What phase are they in?
We are making progress and believe we can reach an agreement.
Does that not mean giving up on converting the area into a promenade?
No, not at all. To begin with, we are working jointly with the Directorate of Port Works, the Port Company, and the Municipality to continue working on the connectivity of the Coastal Promenade.
A new cruise season is coming, which, although it has a decline in Chile, will once again have San Antonio as a homeport. What does the area have to offer tourists?
San Antonio and the Poets' Coast have many attractive aspects to show tourists. We have vineyards, historical, archaeological, and patrimonial themes that are super interesting. We are working with the DP World team to address this new season.