In recent months, Guayaquil has revived a discussion that isn’t new but now carries a different weight: the role of free trade zones and port infrastructure as levers to attract investment and strengthen the country’s logistics platform. The conversation arises in a context where regional and global conditions are less predictable, changing how these initiatives must be interpreted.

The push for new free trade zones and ZEDEs linked to ports like Posorja aims to meet a clear need: to offer spaces where logistics, industry, and international trade can integrate more efficiently. On paper, the proposal is attractive. It enables value-added processes, more sophisticated operations, and greater competitiveness compared to other regional hubs.

But having an active legal regime or registered projects in the Official Gazette is not enough. What matters now is whether these frameworks can sustain real investment and operational decisions under tangible conditions, not just promises.

The international logistics environment moves fast. Routes shift, capacities adjust, regulatory demands increase, and companies redefine how they evaluate risk. In this setting, free trade zones don’t compete solely on location or port depth, but on regulatory clarity, implementation speed, and institutional coordination. When those variables don’t advance in sync, opportunity begins to lose traction.

Port infrastructure shows signs of progress. The dredging plans for the Port of Guayaquil, the operational consolidation of Posorja, and investment announcements reflect capital and willingness to strengthen installed capacity. However, infrastructure alone does not guarantee competitiveness. Without agile processes, efficient land connectivity, and clear rules for operating within and beyond port zones, the real impact dissipates.

Here arises a critical tension: while infrastructure projects have long timelines and depend on multiple actors, logistical risk evolves in shorter cycles. Companies considering operations or relocating parts of their supply chain aren’t just looking for dock length or available hectares; they expect certainty. And today, certainty is built with physical infrastructure as well as regulatory and operational decisions.

In this context, free trade zones can become a tangible lever of logistical competitiveness. More than isolated incentives, they provide a framework that facilitates faster operations, greater cost control, and better integration across warehousing, value-added services, and distribution. For companies aiming to reduce friction, gain predictability, and move closer to export points, these frameworks are increasingly relevant in their logistics strategies.

Today’s scenario reinforces that perspective. As the global environment becomes more demanding and less linear, having platforms that enable flexible operations and lower exposure to external bottlenecks becomes a true asset. Well-coordinated free trade zones and ports don’t just expand a country’s capacity—they offer strategic options worth evaluating early. For foreign trade actors, they may not be a universal solution, but they are increasingly a variable that matters in decision-making.