By Andrés Orrego Siebert
The State Railway Company (EFE) is evaluating at least three logistical alternatives to resume freight movement and integrate the train into the commercial activity of the Central Bioceanic Corridor.
Yuny Arias Córdova, General Manager of EFE Arica – La Paz, commented to PortalPortuario in the context of the first Bioceanic Node, being held in the city of Arica with the presence of authorities, experts, and executives from Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile, that the state railway company is considering establishing intermodal centers that would allow cargo to arrive by truck and be transferred massively by train to the local port.
The most immediate precedent for this possibility was the freight test carried out in 2021, which successfully transported goods from the Port of Arica to Visviri and, at that point, transferred them to the platforms of the Bolivian railway operator, which continued the journey to Oruro.
“What was demonstrated is that the railway logistics are operational on both the Chilean and Bolivian sides. The idea is to continue exploring possibilities for freight tests to demonstrate, in a way, how logistics can be complemented by the railway mode and bring in new business. This is always a complement to the truck; we are not going to remove the trucks, but on the contrary, we want to generate more cargo through the railway,” said Arias.
“For that, there are ideas related to generating multimodal centers around the railway line, which could be the connection with the Zeap, the port expansion zone in LLuta. On the other hand, being able to generate a multimodal center on the right side of the railway line, also in Lluta, and a third project which is a multimodal center in Visviri, because that is the gateway to Chile. In a way, that could be a cargo reservoir that descends as it is scheduled towards the Port of Arica. So, in a way, it is about starting to generate reservoirs for a much more viable, more efficient logistics,” stated the general manager of EFE Arica.
Regarding the possibility of establishing a bimodal center in Visviri, the EFE Arica executive stated that it is an idea that would contribute to populating the Chilean altiplano by consolidating an activity that generates employment and income.
“This also has the vision of connecting territories that EFE has. This is a state vision, thinking that -in a way- these territories began to depopulate as the railway ceased to function. Therefore, these activities could generate repositioning in these towns and, in a way, strengthen sovereignty in those territories,” she observed.
Regarding what the operational mechanics of these intermodal centers would be in relation to carriers, Yuny Arias commented that the idea is for truckers to be able to reach these points and return more quickly to pick up more cargo.
“If we are in Lluta, the truck can arrive directly and transfer to the train. The train will enter during the hours planned by the port, and therefore, that truck, instead of going into the city and having all the logistical difficulties of where to park, having to wait, etc., can leave the cargo and immediately return to Bolivia and make more trips. The same happens in Visviri.
For example, they could even be trucks that do not meet the standard required by Chile to enter Chilean highways and, therefore, could leave the cargo in Visviri and, thus, continue making more internal trips in Bolivia and the international transport is left to the Bolivian or Chilean railway, in any case, there is a win-win when this efficiency is achieved,” he argued.
It is worth mentioning that the Central Bioceanic Corridor is an initiative of subnational governments of Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Chile to mobilize cargo to and from the center of the continent, giving territories that have been left out of other routes the possibility of reaching the Pacific through the Port of Arica and, from there, connecting with international markets, either through direct maritime services or in connection with Peruvian ports.
In that context, the State of Rondônia, in Brazil, is looking with interest at this connectivity as it is one of the largest producers of soy and meat in the country. For its cargo to enter Bolivia, a binational bridge over the Mamoré River is being built, which will not only facilitate exchange between both nations but will also enable the transfer of exports and imports to international markets with the Port of Arica as a key point.
Likewise, in Bolivia, the road network between Beni and Oruro is being modernized, a department that has the first Bolivian dry port. The logistics space also has a railway connection that, if activated, could link with the Chilean network, favoring the movement of cargo in interaction with the Chilean port.
