Criminal extortion of tugboat workers in Puerto Bolívar, Ecuador, prevented the export of 400 containers of bananas between 9 and 10 September 2023. The delay affected the quality of the product and its competitiveness, and the containers had to be transferred to the Port of Guayaquil for export.

This incident, which was reported by the Ecuadorian Times last week, is just one example of the insecurity that is disrupting Ecuador's export sector. So far this year, there have been more than 500 criminal incidents targeting the main export products of shrimp, bananas, cocoa, and fish. Economic losses due to insecurity exceed USD 5 million.

The export sector allocates more than USD 200 million in various private security services and equipment to confront the crime wave. However, experts claim the government needs to do more to address the root causes of insecurity and protect the country's economy.

The Ecuadorian Times further reported that a group of stakeholders - including representatives of the Ecuadorian Navy, the Police, and the Port Authority of Guayaquil and Puerto Bolívar - met to discuss a security plan for the sector.

The participants agreed to create a comprehensive plan to guarantee the safety of personnel on board private vessels and that their navigation operations are carried out normally.

“This intervention by the control authorities allows the resumption of the logistics flow in Puerto Bolívar,” said the Corporation of Exporting Guilds of Ecuador (Cordex) in a statement.