technology, sustainable expansion and cooperation between sectors were the main protagonists of this Tuesday (22), at the opening of the 3rd Interlog Summit, composed of the XXVIII CNL – National Conference on Logistics, held by Abralog and the South America Intermodal Congress. The agenda of the day brought together strategic names in the logistics chain, e-commerce and national infrastructure, in panels that discussed the paths for the modernization of the sector and the strengthening of Brazil in the global trade.
The panels highlighted, in an integrated way, the need for joint action between innovation, investment and governance to expand national logistics competitiveness and position Brazil strategically in the global market.
Technology, Expansion and Sustainability: the e-commerce milestones presented by Mercado Livre at Intermodal 2025
During the 29th edition of Intermodal South America, Fernando Yunes, senior vice president and leader of the free market in Brazil, presented an overview of the growth of e-commerce in the country and the main milestones that should boost the sector in the coming years.
With the $45 billion mark in sales in 2023 and an annual growth rate of 38%, Mercado Livre consolidates itself as an isolated leader in national e-commerce. According to Yunes, the sector still has room to grow, since the penetration of online sales in Brazil is 15%, while in other countries such as the United States and China the percentages are 21% and 50%, respectively.
Currently, the company has 17 logistics centers spread across the country and plans to reach 26 later this year. With a mesh that covers 95% of the national territory, Mercado Livre operates with land and air fleets, in addition to investing heavily in sustainability — there are already more than two thousand electric vehicles in circulation in Brazil, responsible for last mile deliveries.
Yunes highlighted the technology as the main support pillar of modern e-commerce. An example is the investment in 334 robots in distribution centers, optimizing the flow of goods and reducing the physical effort of employees. “The robot collects the order from the shelf and takes it to the operator, speeding up the process and saving up to 70% the number of steps and physical effort of the team”, he highlighted..
The Executive also pointed out the Virtual and augmented realities as promising trends for the personalization of the shopping experience, in addition to the positive impact that the inclusion of videos of the products can generate in the platform’s conversion rates. “The purchase journey will be increasingly personalized. E-commerce verticals tend to become more aligned with customer desires and behaviors. Stay tuned for emerging trends and invest in new product presentation formats,” the executive warned.
Public-private partnerships as a path to logistical development and national infrastructure
Collaboration between the public and private sectors was the focus of the special panel that addressed a positive agenda for infrastructure and national transport. With the presence of authorities and sector leaders, the debate reinforced the importance of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as the main tool for the advancement of logistics and transport in Brazil.
Pedro Moreira, president of Abralog, participated in the discussion; Mariana Pescatori, Substitute Minister of Ports and Airports; George Santoro, executive secretary of the Ministry of Transport; Vander Costa, president of the CNT; and Ramon Alcaraz, CEO of JSL.
According to Mariana Pescatori, in 2024 alone, the private sector invested more than R$ 10 billion in the sector. She highlighted the effectiveness of port auctions as mechanisms for attracting capital, in addition to citing significant public contributions — more than R$ 1 billion in the same period.
The substitute minister also drew attention to 100% public investments in waterways, which exceeded R$ 750 million in the last two years. “We are studying concession models for this modal, maintaining efficiency and stimulating its expansion”, he said. In the airline sector, he pointed out challenges inherited from the pandemic, such as the restructuring of the logistics chain, but stressed that several works and concessions are underway to support the resumption.
Secretary George Santoro reinforced that the government already has a forecast for 15 highway auctions and a railroad that, in addition to the contributions made, exceeds the resources applied in the previous four years. “We resumed works stopped, optimized contracts and promoted legal security for new projects. The logistics infrastructure of Brazil is experiencing a moment of strong restructuring”, he declared.
For Ramon Alcaraz, from JSL, it is essential that the sector is prepared to respond to the growing logistical demand and attentive to the variations of the international scenario. “The PPP is the best way to ensure modern, sustainable and efficient infrastructure. The private sector is ready to collaborate,” the executive said.
In the bottlenecks and challenges theme, those present mentioned the need to restructure new routes, to relieve the land road network, since, according to data presented, the fleet of vehicles has increased by 50% in recent years..
Closing the panel, Mariana Pescatori also mentioned the advancement of the modernization of legislation focused on infrastructure, with the aim of facilitating contracts, expanding legal certainty and attracting more investors.
Geopolitics and foreign trade: challenges and opportunities in an unstable global scenario
Intermodal South America 2025 brought to light the growing influence of geopolitical factors in logistics chains and foreign trade strategies. Under the theme “Geopolitics and opportunities for business in foreign trade”, the debate brought together experts who analyzed the impacts of current conflicts, commercial disputes and institutional weakening in the global dynamics of production and circulation of goods.
Márcia Nejaim, regional representative of Apex Brasil, participated in the discussion; Alessandra Lopasso Ricci, CEO of Centaurea Logística and Denilde Holzhacker, Academic Director of ESPM.
Denilde Holzhacker contextualized the current scenario as a period of profound transformations, which began with the COVID-19 pandemic and was intensified by global political changes and conflicts, which have increased the costs of maritime transport and expanded logistical insecurity. “The governance of international trade, previously anchored in the WTO, is weakened,” explained Denilde.
Márcia Nejaim reinforced this reading by pointing out the weakening of multilateral institutions and the return of protectionist policies as threats to world economic growth. “We are facing a scenario that we have not seen since the 1930s crisis in the United States. Unpredictability, inflation in developed countries and the reduction in the price of commodities make up a challenging environment for foreign trade,” he said..
Despite the adverse context, the participants highlighted that there are opportunities to be explored. The focus on services, technology and sustainability was pointed out as a strategic path for countries that want to maintain their competitiveness in the international scenario. The opening of new markets to Brazil can also become a reality. “Brazil has been advancing, for example, in the importation of animal protein into Japan, a door that we have tried to open for years and only now we have a negotiation given the current scenario. Even in the face of tensions, there is room for innovation and for the strengthening of new sectors. agility, global vision and adaptability of companies and governments”, concluded Márcia.
with more than 500 exhibiting brands national and international, the intermodal south america 2025 continues until Thursday (24), in the Anhembi district, in São Paulo, bringing together the main innovations and trends in the logistics, intralogistics, transport, foreign trade and technology. In addition to the fair, the program includes more than 40 hours of content, themed panels and interactive attractions that promote networking and strategic exchanges between professionals and companies. Admission is free, and the expectation is to receive more than 46 thousand visitors during the three days of the event..
service:
Intermodal South America – 29th edition
date: April 22 to 24, 2025.
Location: Anhembi District.
time: from 1 pm to 9 pm.
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