Digitalización portuaria post-pandemia: impulso a la competitividad industrial y comercial de Brasil en el contexto internacional

Abstract

This essay analyzes how port digitalization in Brazil has strengthened the country’s industrial and commercial competitiveness in the international context, particularly in the post-pandemic period. Based on official sources and direct observation during the academic periplus in Rio de Janeiro, it examines the modernization strategies implemented by the Ministry of Ports and Airports, with emphasis on the Porto sem Papel (Paperless Port) program (Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos do Brasil, 2024), which currently operates in 100 percent of public ports and 85 percent of private terminals. Recognized by the International Maritime Organization as Brazil’s Maritime Single Window, this system has reduced average vessel docking times from 20 days to 4 days, enhancing logistical efficiency, sustainability, and transparency in the country’s foreign trade. Furthermore, the increase in port traffic—from 1.2 billion tons in 2022 to 1.321 billion in 2024—demonstrates the structural progress of the sector and its strategic role in Brazil’s national economy (Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos do Brasil, 2025). The hypothesis suggests that port digital transformation has become a structural axis of Brazil’s international competitiveness by optimizing its export chain, consolidating its logistical infrastructure, and reinforcing its position as a commercial power in South America.