The coronavirus crisis has shone a spotlight on how challenging it is for countries to protect the health of the population. To contain the pandemic, governments have taken unprecedented measures such as closing borders or shutting off large areas of their territories. These measures can cause major disruptions to global supply chains and transportation systems. According to … [Read more...] about How Customs can protect us from the coronavirus
Krista Lucenti
Krista Lucenti is a Senior Trade Specialist in the Trade and Investment Division of the IDB based in Trinidad and Tobago. She coordinates the Division’s Caribbean operational portfolio which consists of projects focused on maritime transport and ports, trade facilitation, logistics and global services exports. In recent years, she has coordinated the Caribbean Strategic Agenda on Integration, undertaken research in the areas of trade and maritime transport, and coordinated regional policy dialogues. Prior to joining the Bank, Krista worked at the World Bank in Geneva where she supported work on the Integrated Framework, trade facilitation, and diagnostic trade and integration studies. She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Bern, Switzerland as well as degrees from both the School of Oriental and African Studies, London and McGill University, Montreal
What global ports did to become more efficient
Could sea, air and land ports in Latin America and the Caribbean become more efficient and take advantage of new technological tools to compete in global trade? The quick answer is a resounding yes. Only a handful of countries in LAC – Chile, Jamaica, Panama, and Brazil, for example – have, or are implementing, advanced, digitally-connected port systems, in contrast with … [Read more...] about What global ports did to become more efficient
Short-sea shipping: A solution to Caribbean logistics challenges?
Caribbean islands face significant competitive disadvantages in trade because of a variety of factors — including the size and nature of their economies and their geographic location, which necessitates a reliance on maritime and air transport for most of their import and export needs, with 90 percent of goods being transported by sea. At the same time, maritime transport and … [Read more...] about Short-sea shipping: A solution to Caribbean logistics challenges?
Waste not, want not: Strengthening LAC agrifood exports though robust cold chain logistics
The global food industry loses a staggering amount annually: US$750 billion. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), roughly 55 percent of post-harvest fruit and vegetables are lost, mostly due to problems arising during storage, packaging, and distribution. At the same time, high logistics costs hurt trade in food and agriculture, increasing final prices by 30 percent to 100 … [Read more...] about Waste not, want not: Strengthening LAC agrifood exports though robust cold chain logistics
Staying afloat? Opportunities in the Maritime Transport Sector in the Americas
In the first quarter of 2017, global trade experienced an uptick in the value of goods being traded. This rise, the first since 2014, is the result of higher commodity prices and slightly stronger demand from emerging economies. Prior to this – between the great recession and 2014 – global trade expanded robustly both in terms of value and volume. This volatility in global … [Read more...] about Staying afloat? Opportunities in the Maritime Transport Sector in the Americas