2024 started slow for the petrochemical and chemical industry. Everyone agrees that we are undergoing a complex scenario in which geopolitical events and increased freight rates lead to supply chain disruptions. Everyone is cautious.

In this context, after six years, Santiago de Chile hosted once again the annual Latin America Logistics organized by APLA. On June 11th and 12th, 2024, different industry representatives and companies across the petrochemical and chemical value chain gathered to get an update on the region's latest developments in terms of GDP evolution, trends related to freight regulations, and their impact on the industry's overall performance. 

The 26th annual meeting was a bit different. This year, several workshops were introduced after panels so attendees could share their points of view and discuss how each company faces the industry's challenges. Competition is intrinsic to business, but sharing knowledge and establishing benchmarks is a good sign for overall improvement.

Despite the challenges, Latin America has several opportunities: Its green energy mix paves the way for the energy transition. In this journey, the chemical and petrochemical industries will be critical, leveraging emerging technologies like AI to enhance their operations.