With the aim of strengthening intercontinental cooperation in the maritime-port sector, the new edition of the Port Leaders Mission 2026 will take place from April 20 to 24, with the participation of port leaders and executives from companies in the sector across Latin America. The itinerary will include Madrid, Valencia, Tarragona, and Barcelona in Spain.

The initiative is organized by PR PORTS and Maritime Policy Bureau , and is supported by the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States (CIP/OAS) . The program is designed as a forum for meeting, dialogue, and generating opportunities, focused on creating strategic alliances and exchanging best practices to address the challenges facing the sector.

The work areas will address topics such as innovation applied to the port system, energy transition, sustainability, governance, and territorial development . Likewise, emphasis will be placed on collaboration models, process improvement, operational efficiency, and alignment with the new international standards that are shaping the global agenda of this industry.

The delegation, which will be received by authorities from State Ports and the host ports, will participate in networking sessions and conduct technical visits to port facilities and development centers. The objective is to transform knowledge into concrete actions and foster professional exchange .

The program includes technical visits, training workshops, working lunches, a welcome cocktail reception, and an official dinner. The organizers are working in coordination with port authorities to finalize the agenda , which is available at this link . Space is limited, and those interested can register in advance by clicking here .

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Mexican company Mimpo Global Logistics has taken a key step in its internationalization strategy with the acquisition of Iberoforwarders , a move that marks its first inorganic operation in Spain since it entered that market in 2019. The decision is not minor: with it, the company seeks to consolidate its presence in a country that functions as an entry and exit gateway for trade flows between Europe and America, an area where competition is measured by operational capabilities, technological integration and geographic reach.

The goal is ambitious. With the integration of Iberoforwarders, Mimpo expects to achieve combined revenues of €40 million by 2025 , supported by a team of more than 60 professionals. Beyond the figure, the acquisition allows it to expand its operating capacity in a particularly sensitive segment: international maritime transport, which constitutes the core of both companies’ business.

The emphasis is on export and import traffic between Europe, Latin America, and the United States, strategic routes where Mimpo seeks to deepen its specialization. Similarly, the operation targets high-value-added vertical sectors such as industrial, commercial, and mass consumption, reflecting a deliberate attempt to gain ground in areas where margins are more competitive and integrated service makes the difference.

On the operational front, the merger provides a 3,000 m² warehouse equipped as a bonded warehouse , as well as national and international land transport services and specific solutions for the Canary Islands. This diversification provides Mimpo with broader coverage without losing focus on its core business lines: maritime, air, and land. This move balances expansion with specialization in a market that increasingly demands greater efficiency and traceability.

The management’s statement underscores this strategic shift. “This merger responds to a very clear strategy: to consolidate our activity in Spain and strengthen our position as a leading logistics operator in trade flows between the Americas and Europe. In just six years, we have built a solid and recognized brand, and now we are laying the foundations for a new, more ambitious and specialized phase of growth,” said Carlos Delfín, global CEO of Mimpo Global Logistics.

For his part, David Soto, Managing Director for Spain, highlighted the scope of the transaction: “This is a key strategic step for Mimpo Global Logistics in Spain. This move allows us to scale both in terms of capabilities and human resources, and positions us to continue growing in highly demanding logistics sectors , with a focus on maritime transport and integrated solutions for our clients.”

On Iberoforwarders’ side, the narrative is consistent. “Both companies share a very aligned vision of the business, which will facilitate a rapid and highly potential integration. This transaction offers us new growth opportunities and will be very beneficial for our clients ,” stated Jordi Esteve, CEO of the acquired firm.

The team integration process will begin shortly, focusing on operational synergies. The priority will be maritime transport with the Americas, where both companies have consolidated experience and prior business relationships. At this point, the continued presence of Iberoforwarders’ founding partners, including its CEO and Commercial Director Josep Miquel Esteve, will be key to ensuring continuity and market knowledge in this new phase.

Beyond the transaction itself, the operation reflects how Latin American logistics operators are seeking to gain a stronger foothold in Europe. For Mimpo, with more than 25 years of experience in international trade and a presence in Mexico, Spain, the United States, and Costa Rica, this acquisition represents the opportunity to deepen its specialization in the Americas-Europe connection, especially the Mexico-Spain link, which has been its strongest selling point.

The challenge now will be to capitalize on this strengthened presence in a highly competitive environment, where logistics margins are under pressure and digitalization imposes new rules of the game. The acquisition of Iberoforwarders gives Mimpo the tools to grow, but the real challenge will be to demonstrate that the integration translates into tangible added value for increasingly demanding customers and for supply chains that no longer tolerate inefficiencies.

(Photo: David Soto, general manager of Mimpo Global Logistics in Spain; Carlos Delfín, global CEO of Mimpo Global Logistics; and Jordi Esteve, CEO of Iberoforwarders).

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The event will feature the participation of 33 leaders from Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala, Argentina, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, and Spain, including presidents of port authorities, general directors, operational managers, and board members.

The meeting will seek to strengthen institutional cooperation and showcase Latin American talent in dialogue with Europe.

The preliminary agenda was presented during the meeting, which includes technical meetings at the Puertos del Estado headquarters in Madrid; tours of port facilities in Seville, Huelva, Cádiz, and Algeciras ; meetings with local authorities and representatives of organizations; panels on innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, and sector management; and networking opportunities between Latin American and European delegations.

Presentations of successful experiences and analyses of common challenges in contemporary port operations are also planned.

Event development

The technical seminar on September 23, at the Puertos del Estado headquarters in Madrid, will include, among other things, a discussion on national port policy and international cooperation.

Three thematic panels will be held at the event :

• “Energy Transition and Port Sustainability,” focusing on decarbonization, energy efficiency, and green ports.
• “Digitalization and Smart Ports,” focusing on automation, data integration, artificial intelligence, and digital platforms.
• “Governance and Infrastructure Planning,” which will address governance models, public investment, and institutional coordination.

The event will be complemented by a technical coffee break and networking opportunities , which will foster exchanges between Latin American representatives and specialists from the Spanish port system, along with government authorities and logistics stakeholders.

According to Zulma Dinelli, president and CEO of PR PORTS, and Guimara Tuñón, executive director of the Maritime Policy Bureau, this stage is key to consolidating alliances, projecting institutional capacities, and strengthening regional positioning in strategic scenarios.

In 2024, the Spanish port system recorded a total of 18.1 million 20-foot containers (TEUs) transported. In Latin America, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, and Peru were the countries with the highest number of TEUs transported.

Mexico emerged as the regional leader, operating 9,375,570 TEUs in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of the Navy; followed by Panama with 7,994,636 TEUs between January and October 2024, according to data from the Panama Maritime Authority; Colombia reached a throughput of 3,702,044 TEUs, according to reports from the Cartagena Port Group; and Peru with more than 3.5 million TEUs, according to figures from the country’s National Port Authority.

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Madrid-Barajas Airport shows a strong growth in the fourth quarter of 16% compared to 2022. These figures contrast with Frankfurt Airport (+3.4%) and Heathrow Airport (+14%) on an annual basis.

Aena reported that air cargo in the first three months of 2024 “has maintained an excellent performance.” In year-on-year data, the movement until March was 1,121,336 tons, representing an increase of 11.7% compared to the previous period, another new historical record.

In this sense, it detailed that the objectives of the Cargo Plan are to boost the development of freight transport, improve the competitiveness of airports with higher cargo activity, and ensure sustained growth in freight transport at Aena’s airports.

To achieve this, it contemplates, among other actions, the development and optimization of infrastructure for air cargo, process digitalization, and business development.

“The demand for spaces for the handling of goods at Aena’s airports has grown significantly, so the plan contemplates actions that will be accompanied by improvements in the management and optimization of access and circulation in cargo centers and the expansion of services to carriers,” it pointed out.

The strategic plan also includes an acceleration of the digitization and innovation of air cargo activity, including the development of new functionalities for the Cargo Community System and a system for measuring quality indicators of services provided at cargo centers.

Another objective is the diversification of operators at cargo airports and the promotion of specialized freight traffic. For this purpose, key traffic at each airport will be identified, as well as strategic alliances that will promote this type of specialized freight and, if necessary, the adaptation of infrastructure and processes.

“The Air Cargo Strategic Plan guarantees the future development of air freight transport, the promotion of air cargo centers, and the development of specific infrastructure for cargo. It works to promote the development of new air cargo routes at network airports and encourages freight transport activity by taking advantage of operational passenger routes in facilities that provide efficiency, security, agility, speed, and quality to companies operating in them,” it said.

Aena specified that it focuses the efforts of the organization, dedicated to air cargo, on the opening of new environments and products, seeking the growth of air freight transport in Spain, for which it reiterated its willingness to collaborate, alongside various institutions, business organizations, and importing and exporting companies, in anything that would improve the competitive position of the network airports.

“The cargo facilities of Aena’s airport network occupy an excellent competitive position compared to those in the European environment. In addition, they are an excellent opportunity for airlines due to their strategic position as a logistics platform for transporting goods between Asia and America,” it affirmed.

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