In today’s dynamic trade environment, the shipping industry has a pivotal moment to help shape a more connected and resilient Western hemisphere. As companies rethink where and how they build their supply chains, this is not a time to pull back — we must partner to invest boldly in nearshoring, logistics infrastructure and energy solutions that bring opportunity closer to home.
Working together with our neighbors in Central America and the Caribbean, US industry and policy leaders can modernize and secure regional supply chains, leveraging proximity to reduce risk and accelerate growth. Integrated networks rooted in regional collaboration offer speed, reliability and resilience that distant, trans-oceanic routes cannot match.
Strategic investments in modern ports, logistics corridors and cleaner energy solutions —such as liquefied natural gas fuel — will strengthen local economies while creating agile, secure supply chains for shippers, manufacturers and consumers alike. When we build capacity in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic, we do more than move goods; we create jobs, drive value into communities and position the broader region as a competitive hub for hemispheric trade.
Momentum is promising: Central America is attracting billions in foreign direct investment as nearshoring accelerates. The Dominican Republic’s trade advantages are fueling growth as supply chains develop, signaling a shift toward integrated regional supply chains. Together, we can transform the broader region into a competitive hub for hemispheric trade as a competitive alternative to longer, trans-oceanic supply chains.
This vision depends on partnership — private sector, government and local enterprises working together to ensure investment delivers enduring value and shared prosperity.
The path forward is clear: connect production and consumption through proximity. By enabling growth with modernized supply chains, we can strengthen trade, empower communities and build a stronger, more competitive hemisphere.