The IDB warns that high transport costs in Latin America limit productivity. ECLAC projects a growth of 2.2% for 2026. Logistics startups must prioritise operational efficiency before expanding.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has been warning for years that high transport costs in Latin America and the Caribbean hinder productivity and slow the expansion of the most efficient companies. ECLAC, in its Economic Study 2026, projects a regional growth of 2.2% for 2026 and 2.5% for 2027, with a labour informality close to 50%, as stated by its executive secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs. Demand exists, but the terrain is uneven.
According to ecosistemastartup.com, growing quickly without order in this context is the most expensive recipe for a logistics startup. The threshold of 50 clients is where almost everything breaks: an operation that relies on isolated spreadsheets or the tacit knowledge of the founders can survive with 10 clients, but upon reaching 50 or 100, bottlenecks appear that can no longer be resolved with overtime.
The analysis by Mascontainer highlights four requirements before expanding routes, warehouses, fleets, or markets: documenting procedures, defining responsibilities, establishing compliance indicators, and knowing the real cost of each operation. Regional logistics integration is advancing: on September 25, 2026, the Spanish Logistics Centre (CEL) and the ALACAT Federation signed a cooperation agreement in Madrid to promote training, research, and forums between Spain and Latin America, as published by Interempresas.
Digitalisation does not mean buying everything at once. The practical criterion is to choose processes where information can help reduce errors, downtime, and costs. For a startup with tight margins, this translates into three initial focuses: cargo traceability and real-time delivery status, document automation (delivery notes, manifests, invoices), and an operational KPI dashboard (cost per shipment, cycle time, incident rate, fleet utilisation). The IDB insists that infrastructure, logistics services, and information systems are essential components of supply chain performance.
The trap of premature internationalisation lurks. Accepting any client, opening operations in several countries at once, or expanding the portfolio before mastering the core service is often more destructive than growing slowly. Each new market adds regulations, suppliers, routes, risks, and different cost structures. The IDB itself warns that Latin American SMEs face specific challenges in accessing international markets and integrating into regional and global value chains. The border is not crossed when desired, but when the domestic operation is already replicable.
A contextual fact: in the second quarter of 2026, the cost of insuring goods transported in Latin America and the Caribbean fell by 17.5% year-on-year, one of the sharpest declines among the surveyed regions, according to a market report cited by Infobae. Rates have decreased, but the underlying risk remains high due to diversions, cargo accumulation, and new threats such as fires in electric vehicle container ships. For a startup considering expansion, coverage is more accessible, but the operational environment remains demanding.
Competitiveness in logistics rarely arises from charging less. It stems from the combination of reliability, visibility, speed, flexibility, and responsiveness. A company that knows its costs can quote better; one that measures its times can commit to realistic service levels.
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