The  Intermodal Association of South America (AIMAS) considered the possible arrival of Grupo México Transportes (GMXT) to Argentina to be positive, as it would attract other companies and boost intermodal transport  and its expansion in the region.

“What will save Argentina’s economy and railways will not be privatization itself, but the model that railway companies implement. The integrated North American railway model, plus the expansion proposed by AIMAS, in strong alliance with the region’s trucking (and shipping) industry, will have a positive impact on the entire region,” said Jorge de Mendonça, president of the organization.

In an interview with T21, he commented that the development of the railway industry in Argentina will also impact neighboring countries such as Brazil, Chile and other nations .

Federico Ignacio Weinhold, treasurer of AIMAS, reiterated that the railway in particular and the economy have a new opportunity for their rebirth.

“Seeking to assimilate and apply lessons learned from countries that seriously and sustainably improved their rail logistics, such as Mexico, the United States and Canada, with a particular emphasis on transparent, reliable and long-term regulatory frameworks, the right incentive system and incremental improvements, plus a commercial supply capacity that keeps pace with current and future demand, which is increasingly sophisticated across all sectors, sizes and locations of the economy,” he said.

For his part, Daniel Marcelo Campana, a railway and automotive technician at AIMAS, considered that Argentina has lost the capacity to audit the railway , so it will be necessary to create a regional authority similar to that of airplanes, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) , where each local control authority must ensure compliance with international standards.

In that regard, he stressed that the regulations and processes must be those required by the region and not a simple licensed import from other continents.

Similarly, he explained that Ferromex’s proposed model of vertically integrated rail and intermodality represents a complete paradigm shift , which will generate resistance from business owners who profit from this transportation system by effectively disregarding its public service nature. “This resistance will manifest itself in angry, supposedly technical, opinions highlighting the impossibility of having a competitive railway in Argentina.”

Jorge de Mendonça offered the support and advice of the organization to companies that show interest in participating in the railway privatization process in Argentina .

He emphasized that what AIMAS proposes for Argentina and the region is the model that Ferromex is familiar with, so it will find interest among transporters, ports, universities and provinces, “people who are already paying attention, who are the ones to whom we have been suggesting the model for eight years.”

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El cargo Renaissance on rails: AIMAS celebrates possible arrival of GMXT to Argentina apareció primero en T21.

The Chamber of Deputies approved, in general and specific terms, the draft decree presented by the federal government, which will give it greater control over the railway sector and create the Integrated Trains and Public Transport Agency (ATTRAPI).

On April 29, the Plenary Session approved amendments to the Railway Service Regulations, the Federal Public Administration Organic Law, the Federal Roads, Bridges, and Motor Transport Law, the General Communication Routes Law, and the General Law on National Assets.

The ruling, the result of an initiative presented by the President of the Republic, was approved in general with 440 votes in favor, and in particular with 449 in favor, one against, and zero abstentions, and was therefore referred to the Senate for constitutional review.

“It seeks to reactivate and strengthen the national railway system, expanding its traditional function of freight transportation to the consolidation of a public passenger transportation service, as well as promoting the economic, productive, and tourist integration of the country’s different regions, providing the population with an efficient, safe, environmentally friendly, accessible, and modern means of transportation,” the deputies reiterated.

The initiative also establishes a robust legal framework that provides legal certainty to both users and concessionaires, ensuring the proper development of strategic railway projects for the country’s growth and competitiveness.

While ATTRAPI, a decentralized agency with legal personality, its own assets, and technical and management autonomy assigned to the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , will have specific powers for the construction, conservation, and maintenance of railway and multimodal infrastructure in the country. It will also grant, modify, and revoke permits and authorizations in this area, promote public and private investment in the sector, and coordinate with other federal, state, and municipal government agencies and entities to promote the development of this system.

Meanwhile, the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF)  will be responsible for regulating, promoting, monitoring, and verifying the construction, operation, maintenance, and maintenance of railway infrastructure, as well as the provision of public railway transport services and their auxiliary services. It will also guarantee interconnection on railways when they are general communication routes and will promote the interconnection of railway terminals with multimodal operations and impose sanctions for violations.

The initiative also updates references to the current name of the SICT and modifies the sanctions and compensation parameters, replacing the minimum wage with the Unit of Measurement and Update. These measures are appropriate for providing legal certainty and updating legal instruments in accordance with current regulations, among other things.

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El cargo Deputies approve initiative that will give the government greater control over railway matters and create a new agency apareció primero en T21.