The presentation of *The Art of Managing Logistics Risks* at the recent Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) was neither a formal event nor just another publishing celebration. Above all, it was a statement of intent. In a context where supply chains operate under constant pressure—organized crime, global disruptions, accelerated nearshoring , and a still-incomplete culture of prevention— the book arrived at the FIL as an uncomfortable yet necessary piece: a reminder that logistics is not only about efficiency, but also about decisions that assume, transfer, and manage risk.
On December 3, 2025, at the MIND (Mexico Innovation and Design) building, the University of Guadalajara and the Council of Industrial Chambers of Jalisco (CCIJ) hosted a meeting where technical literature intersected with the operational realities of freight transport. The book—conceived as a practical manual covering claims prevention, insurance, adjustment, and subrogation—is the result of a collective effort bringing together specialists in logistics, cargo insurance, loss prevention, and risk management , under the editorial direction of Esaú M. Mendoza, Business Development Director of Keeper Cargo Insurance , and with the support of stakeholders representing various links in the logistics-insurance ecosystem.
From the outset, the tone of the meeting departed from corporate discourse. Diana Karina López Alfaro, cargo underwriter for the Latin American Association of Maritime Underwriters (ALSUM) , moderated the event, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the project and the collective effort that made it possible to bring it to a forum like the FIL (Guadalajara International Book Fair). But it was Esaú M. Mendoza’s presentation that set the emotional and conceptual tone of the event. Presenting at the FIL, he said, was not just about being on a stage: “The FIL is not just an event; it’s a symbol. It’s coming home .” Beyond the personal weight of his testimony, the message pointed to something deeper: technical knowledge also has a place in major cultural forums when it engages with real-world problems.
Mendoza linked the symbolic dimension of the FIL—the largest literary and academic forum in Latin America—with the book’s raison d’être. In an environment where the idea that “insurance doesn’t pay” still persists , the work was conceived as a “collectively constructed map” to explain, rigorously and without idealization, how the insurance ecosystem functions when risk materializes. The premise is clear: to dignify logistics risk management means understanding it as an integral part of competitiveness, not as an accessory cost or an abstract promise.
This perspective was further developed through the contributions of the co-authors. Rosa Morán, Claims Manager at Swiss Re and director of the Claims and Loss Prevention Observatory at ALSUM, brought to the table an uncomfortable truth for many operators: all logistics operations are exposed to losses, and denying this reality only exacerbates the consequences . Cargo insurance, she insisted, functions as a mechanism of mutuality and resilience, but only when there is clarity in the transfer of risk and expectations are aligned with what a policy actually covers. Transparency, in this context, is not an optional ethical value, but an operational condition for the insurance promise to be fulfilled.
Axel Fernández, Chief Sales Officer at Fidum Logistics , broadened the focus to include the role of the logistics operator, a player historically relegated to a tactical function. Today, he argued, the operator supports critical decisions regarding insurance and risk management . Behind every shipment are processes, technology, and people that ensure cargo security. Recognizing this role means understanding that prevention is neither improvised nor entirely delegated to third parties: it is designed from the very beginning of the operation.
The insurance adjuster then emerged as the system’s “moment of truth.” Germán Emmanuel Vásquez, cargo insurance underwriter for ALSUM and national director at Valuadores de Daños (VADASA), addressed one of the sector’s most sensitive issues: mistrust. The adjuster, he explained, operates in a zone of constant tension between the insurer and the insured , and their role is to transform fear and uncertainty into certainty, based on the contract and sound advice. When this fails, the damage is not only financial; it is reputational and structural for the entire industry.
The discussion escalated again when Mendoza spoke from his experience in cargo insurance. His message was directed at decision-makers in an environment marked by nearshoring and increased criminal threats: prevention is not a luxury or an aspirational ideal; it is a condition for survival. In increasingly exposed supply chains, failing to manage risks is tantamount to sacrificing competitiveness .
Ulises Daniel Bonales, Marine Deputy Director at HDI Global Seguros , reinforced this idea based on three decades of experience in underwriting and claims. Logistical resilience, he maintained, is not built in silos . It requires public-private coordination, robust prevention departments within insurers, and the use of technology and predictive analytics to anticipate scenarios. The evolution of the sector depends on products that not only provide compensation but also support policyholders with prevention and monitoring services.
The panel’s closing remarks, delivered by Antonio Lancaster-Jones, coordinator of the CCIJ, president of MIND Mexico Innovation and Design, and vice president of Concamin , grounded the message in an economic and social dimension. Competitiveness, he affirmed, depends not only on producing more or innovating more, but also on protecting what has been generated. “Logistics doesn’t just move products; it moves value, assets, and the efforts of thousands of people .” In this sense, the book was recognized as a clear and human-centered tool for improving decision-making in the industry.
The participation of Osiel Cruz Pacheco, CEO of Grupo T21 and author of the prologue , completed the narrative circle. Through the story of “Juan,” a company that learns the hard way about the risks of international trade, the message was condensed into a single phrase: “Prevention is honoring the future of the business .” A disaster represents not only lost merchandise, but also broken trust and lost opportunities. And at the heart of it all, he reminded us, are the people who make daily logistics possible.
For the ecosystem that closely follows the evolution of transportation and logistics in Mexico and the region, the presentation of *The Art of Managing Logistics Risks* at the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) marks more than just a book launch. It is a meeting point between academia, industry, and the insurance sector that brings to the forefront a fundamental truth: without professional risk management, no supply chain can withstand the pressures .
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