Mexico Joins Port Authority Roundtable

The Port Authority Roundtable (PAR) was launched on April 24 by Singapore’s Maritime Port Authority (MPA). Since then, 50 authorities have signed their support to this initiative, which is also backed by the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO), along with other international industry associations, such as the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Association of Ports and Harbors. According to a report from Port Technology, PAR was put together as a global response effort to COVID-19. The idea is for supporting countries, companies and organizations to make a series of commitments to maintain global supply chains running by taking special measures to keep their ports open. They also make a commitment to remain in contact and coordination with each other through a constant schedule of meetings and communications. Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health Dr. Lam Pin Min is quoted in the report saying that “now is the time, more than ever, for global supply chains to remain intact. This is critical for the flow of essential goods across the globe and for global economic recovery.” Other MPA officials were also quoted saying that it is “crucial that countries around the world remain committed to keeping their ports open for trade to ensure the continued flow of goods” in the midst of the crisis.

SCT released a report this week detailing Mexico’s entry to PAR, partly thanks to the support of the Mexican Embassy in the UK. Mexico is now on a list of 33 countries that have guaranteed the uninterrupted functioning of their ports throughout the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic. SCT’s   General Coordination of Ports & Merchant Marine participated in the latest high-level meeting with the MPA and the rest of the current members of PAR to align themselves with the latest best practices in terms of sanitary protocols for ports that choose to remain open. Mexico was also able to share its experiences and the best practices it developed while building and maintaining its humanitarian bridges.  

To learn more about Mexico’s humanitarian bridges, click here.  

To read our interview with Fernando Bustamante, General Director of Ports for the General Coordination of Ports & Merchant Marine, click here.