LATAM Cargo introduces VR training for 550 staff at Miami hub

LATAM Cargo Group has introduced virtual reality (VR) training for warehouse personnel at its Miami hub to improve operational safety, with the initial phase covering approximately 550 employees, including 250 forklift operators.

The programme uses simulators that replicate the company's ground infrastructure, allowing employees to practise operational procedures and respond to real-time scenarios in a controlled digital environment.

The custom-designed simulators were developed in collaboration with Academia LATAM, LATAM Group's internal training arm. They feature scenarios covering six warehouse pedestrian zones and three specialised modules for forklift drivers.

The training covers high-risk procedures, including dangerous goods segregation, cargo handling, pedestrian traffic flow and machinery separation protocols. It also measures employees' responses to contingencies, including response times and their ability to identify and mitigate hazards.

According to the company, the immersive training is designed to improve employees' situational awareness and bridge the gap between theoretical training and field operations.

The Miami launch follows an initial rollout of VR-based onboarding training at the Fast Air warehouse in Santiago. The latest deployment expands the programme to cover a broader range of operational scenarios.

LATAM Cargo is assessing the possibility of expanding the VR training system to other strategic hubs across its network, including Brazil.

"Integrating Virtual Reality at our Miami hub marks a key step in our operational safety strategy. By placing our teams in critical operational scenarios within an exact replica of their daily work environment, we significantly close the gap between classroom theory and ramp practice. This directly translates into safer and more efficient cargo handling for our customers," said Daniel Leng, Chief Operating Officer at LATAM Cargo.