Análisis de alternativas de comunicación férrea para la conexión interoceánica y portuaria de Colombia

Abstract

This research is oriented towards analyzing the economic and financial viability of alternative rail routes between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic in Colombia. Due to its nature, the investigation had an analytic- descriptive perspective, supported by a non-experimental design. Additionally, the use of documents and reports, that is to say, previous studies with similar circumstances in other countries and case studies in Colombia, gave a documentary angle. An analysis and interpretation is proposed through data collection provided by Colombian official entities. An analysis of the documentary records, and other related official documents, was implemented in order to gather relevant bibliography that allowed approaching the research adequately. The results indicate that the reality of the Colombian railway system has grown with dilated results over the time, this means that is behind in terms of infrastructure: of the total of 3.463 km, 184 km are private line and 1811 km are public. Of the entire railway network, the ANI manages 1672 km, the INVIAS 319, also 1322 km are inactive and only 2141 are active. This indicates that a lack of alternatives makes almost impossible to integrate existing railways. Production should be located in areas where goods can be produced at lower costs; however, of the two existing ports, one port in Cartagena and one in Buenaventura, the latter has obvious draft problems that limit the access of new generation ships used worldwide. A significant growth is foreseen in the current modes of transport (road) and in the amount of cargo that transport by road mobilizes. In this way, and despite the indispensable role in the mobilization of terrestrial flows in Colombia, motor transport by road faces a significant series of challenges. Thus, the rapid and accelerated growth of the highway opposes the dilated growth of the railroad network, just a few tracks are in recovery and others, despite the setbacks, remain connected to the nation by lane or rail. The strategic guidelines that were formulated are associated with the technical aspects of the rail connection alternatives between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in Colombia.