Guatemala will host AAPA LATAM 2026 , one of the leading forums for the maritime and port industry in Latin America , at a time when the region’s ports face the challenge of adapting to a new configuration of international trade marked by the relocation of supply chains, the digitization of operations and the pressure to increase their logistical competitiveness.
From December 1 to 4, Guatemala City will bring together more than 700 representatives from port authorities , governments, logistics operators, terminals, multilateral organizations, technology companies and investors to analyze the impact that artificial intelligence, the energy transition, new trade corridors and the resilience of supply chains will have on port development in Latin America.
The 2026 edition of the congress, organized by AAPA LATAM in conjunction with the Designated Authority of the National Port System of Guatemala and PR PORTS , will mark the event’s return to the Central American country after 14 years. The choice of Guatemala as the host country coincides with the transformation underway in the Guatemalan port system and with Central America’s growing role in international trade routes.
For Zulma Dinelli, the Congress’s general director, the venue was selected due to the country’s current port development. “Each edition of AAPA LATAM begins with a strategic decision: choosing the best place to discuss the future of the industry. We look for countries that are leading transformation processes and that can enrich the regional conversation. Guatemala meets these conditions: it combines a privileged geostrategic location, an ongoing port modernization agenda, and a clear commitment to strengthening its logistics integration.”
The meeting’s agenda will address topics related to technological innovation, port governance, infrastructure, connectivity, and cooperation between the public and private sectors , under the premise that the competitiveness of ports no longer depends solely on expanding their installed capacity, but also on responding to an increasingly dynamic commercial environment.
In this context, Guatemala will use the forum to present the progress of its port modernization strategy. Leonel Molina, Director General of the Designated Authority of the National Port System of Guatemala , noted that the Congress will allow them to share with the international community “the progress of the port reform that Guatemala is undergoing.”
Among the initiatives are the future General Law of the Port System , the creation of a National Port Authority and various projects to strengthen the operational capacity of Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomás de Castilla and the Puerto Barrios Railway Terminal, in addition to investments to improve the country’s land and rail connectivity.
Molina even suggested that AAPA LATAM 2026 could become the platform for announcing the approval of Guatemala’s first General Law of the Port System and the eventual creation of the National Port Authority derived from that legislation. “We hope to be able to announce the approval of the first General Law of the Port System during Congress and, if time allows, present the first National Port Authority derived from that legislation,” he stated.
In addition to the technical conferences, the meeting will include business meetings, a specialized exhibition and a technical visit to Puerto Quetzal , activities that will complement the exchange of experiences between authorities, port operators and companies linked to the regional logistics chain.
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