According to Maersk’s latest trade and logistics insights, the competitive landscape for supply chains in Latin America is being redefined by geopolitical shifts, digital customs, artificial intelligence and a growing shortage of specialized talent.
For decades, supply chain competitiveness in Latin America was largely measured through infrastructure quality, freight costs and transit times. According to recent analyses published by Maersk, that equation is changing rapidly. The company argues that trade flows, customs processes and logistics operations are entering a new phase in which data governance, regulatory compliance and digital capabilities are becoming as important as physical assets.
In separate reports examining trade developments and workforce transformation across the region, Maersk highlights a convergence of forces reshaping how companies move goods, manage risk and maintain competitiveness. From emerging trade corridors and digital customs systems to AI-powered operations and evolving workforce requirements, the rules governing regional supply chains are becoming increasingly complex.
Trade corridors are emerging as strategic assets
One of the most significant developments identified by Maersk is the growing influence of regional trade corridors. As global trade becomes more fragmented and geopolitical considerations play a greater role in sourcing decisions, logistics networks are increasingly organized around strategic routes rather than broad multilateral frameworks.
The company describes this trend as the rise of “corridor diplomacy,” where infrastructure investments and regional partnerships become key drivers of trade competitiveness.
A prominent example is the Port of Chancay in Peru. According to Maersk, the port handled more than 270,000 containers during its first full year of operation while reducing transit times between Asia and South America by as much as two weeks. Beyond the operational gains, such reductions can significantly affect inventory cycles, working capital requirements and supply chain planning.
At the same time, initiatives such as the interim EU-Mercosur agreement and the expansion of trade preferences between India and Mercosur countries are contributing to a more dynamic commercial environment. For companies operating across Latin America, trade conditions are increasingly influenced by geopolitical alignment, regional agreements and corridor efficiency rather than long-term tariff predictability.
Customs are becoming data-driven ecosystems
If trade routes are evolving, customs operations are undergoing an equally profound transformation.
Maersk points to Brazil as one of the clearest examples of this shift. The gradual transition toward DUIMP and the modernization of customs processes signal what the company describes as a move away from transaction-based compliance toward continuous data validation.
In practical terms, customs clearance increasingly begins long before cargo reaches a port or terminal. Product catalogs, standardized SKU attributes and integrated reporting systems are pushing organizations to focus on data quality at the source.
The implementation of Brazil’s CBS and IBS tax framework further reinforces this trend. Customs declarations, ERP systems and tax reporting requirements are becoming increasingly interconnected, reducing the margin for discrepancies and manual corrections.
For supply chain leaders, the implications extend beyond regulatory compliance. Data governance is becoming an operational discipline that directly affects cargo release, financial performance and audit exposure.
AI and automation are moving into daily operations
Technology represents another major pillar of Maersk’s outlook for the region.
Across Latin America, warehouse modernization is accelerating through selective and scalable automation rather than fully autonomous facilities. Many logistics operations are investing in autonomous mobile robots, semi-automated picking systems, real-time inventory tracking and software-driven orchestration platforms designed to improve efficiency without requiring large-scale infrastructure overhauls.
At the same time, digital twins are gaining traction as companies seek greater visibility and resilience. These virtual models allow operators to simulate scenarios, anticipate bottlenecks and evaluate alternative strategies before disruptions affect physical operations.
Artificial intelligence is also moving beyond experimentation. Maersk highlights the emergence of agentic AI capable of performing increasingly complex logistics functions, including route replanning, risk anticipation and operational adjustments with limited human intervention.
Although adoption remains uneven across Latin America, these technologies are beginning to influence how decisions are made throughout supply chains. As a result, operational roles are gradually shifting from execution toward supervision, validation and strategic decision-making.
Talent is becoming the new bottleneck
While digital transformation continues to accelerate, Maersk identifies a less visible but equally important challenge: the growing shortage of qualified talent.
Organizations across the supply chain sector are struggling to recruit professionals capable of combining digital fluency, analytical skills and operational expertise. The demand extends beyond traditional logistics knowledge and increasingly includes competencies related to automation, data analysis and AI-enabled systems.
The company notes that future supply chain professionals will require a hybrid profile, able to operate across both physical and digital environments. Technical skills remain important, but employers are also placing greater emphasis on adaptability, resilience, critical thinking and systems-level understanding.
This talent gap may ultimately become one of the defining constraints on the pace of modernization throughout the region.
Compliance is evolving into a competitive advantage
Perhaps the most significant conclusion emerging from Maersk’s analyses is that compliance is no longer simply a regulatory obligation.
As customs authorities integrate financial, fiscal and logistics data while deploying increasingly sophisticated risk-assessment tools, compliance is becoming a strategic capability.
As Carlos Sueitt, Global Trade & Customs Senior Consultant at Maersk, notes, Brazil is “moving away from a transaction-based documentation model toward a predictive approach built on structured data.”
The company argues that organizations treating customs and compliance as administrative functions risk seeing volatility translated directly into costs. Conversely, firms that integrate compliance into their broader supply chain strategy may benefit from faster clearance, stronger cash flow management, reduced audit exposure and improved market access.
In this environment, competitiveness is no longer determined solely by transport assets or geographic positioning. Increasingly, it depends on the ability to connect regulatory intelligence, technology, operational execution and high-quality data within a single supply chain architecture.
As Latin America navigates a period marked by geopolitical uncertainty, digital transformation and evolving trade rules, Maersk’s assessment points to a clear conclusion: the future of logistics will be shaped as much by information and compliance capabilities as by ships, ports and physical infrastructure.
