The Central Bioceanic Corridor (CBC) is a key scheme to gain competitiveness through greater logistical efficiency. It is an initiative to integrate the South American regional infrastructure to connect the Atlantic coasts with the Pacific coasts.
At the first South American Summit, in 2000, the idea of the Integration of the South American Regional Infrastructure (IIRSA) arose and, among the axes, the CBC that crosses the so-called “fertile crescent” of Mercosur, from Brazil to Chile, was included. Its backbone is the railway, but, obviously, integrated with the waterway and land routes, in addition to the border crossings between Argentina and Chile through the Andes Mountains.
The CBC extends for 2,472 kilometers (65% over Argentine territory) and connects the port of Porto Alegre (Brazil) with one of the three ports of the Coquimbo Region (Chile); crosses the IV Region of Chile (Coquimbo), the provinces of San Juan, La Rioja, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Corriente and the State of Río Grande do Sul (Brazil); It includes two border crossings, Agua Negra between Coquimbo and San Juan and Paso de los Libres, between Corrientes and the State of Río Grande do Sul.
It specifies that the region reaches some 115 million consumers and a productive movement of around US$275,000 million annually. It adds that it is an area of “a lot of added value and great potential for dynamism.” Regarding export baskets, the Chilean region of Coquimbo is characterized by metallic minerals and, to a lesser extent, fresh fruit, while in the six Argentine provinces they are more diversified, including cereals, cars, fats and oils to Chile and Brazil. In the case of the state of Río Grande do Sul, the greatest weight is vehicles and accessories, plastics, footwear and chemical products.
” The CBC gives rise to added value in the different links of the productive chain of the different sectors present in the countries. There would be a strong reduction in transportation costs and economic integration would be gained. ”
