March was an extremely positive month for the operations of the Container Terminal of the Port of Paranagua, Brazil´s largest port for grains. Last month, 95,633 TEUs (Twenty-foot container units) were imported and exported. The figure represents growth of 24% compared to the same month of 2020 (72,791 TEUs) and was mainly driven by the movement of refrigerated containers, with 16,475 TEUs in the period (17% of the total).
According to TCP, the company that manages the Container Terminal of the Port of Paranagua, the previous record had been set in November 2020 when the Terminal handled 94,406 TEUs. During the first quarter of this year, the Terminal handled 259,966 TEUs, up 13.7% compared to the same period in 2020. The goal is to exceed 1 million TEUs in 2021.
March cargo handling includes both import and export products. Frozen poultry meat; wood; cellulose; frozen; paper, cardboard and derivatives are some of the items that boosted exports in the reference month. In import, the following stand out: fertilizers and fertilizers; plastic and derivatives; machines, appliances and electrical materials and organic chemicals.
“TCP has been preparing to break records – investing in infrastructure, equipment, operating systems and people. The qualification of the times, especially commercial, institutional, marketing, operational and technology, is crucial to achieve high levels of productivity and attractiveness. In addition, focused on the long term, we are recalibrating our strategy so that our objectives are interwoven with consistent benefits generated throughout the entire logistics chain. Brands like this are the result of the trust and recognition of our customers ”, explained Thomas Lima, Commercial and Institutional Director of the Terminal.
In addition to the investments, the executive highlights TCP’s differentials: “The company is the only one in Brazil to offer 10 days free of storage on import. In addition, we have a robust infrastructure, we have the largest park of outlets for refrigerated containers in Latin America and our integrated logistics solutions (warehouses, container depot and railroad) form a platform capable of generating competitiveness in different sectors ”, he said.
Luiz Fernando Garcia, CEO of Portos do Paraná, pointed out that Paranaguá is in the opposite direction of what is observed in international trade for the container segment. “We are growing and the volume of containerized cargo has been increasing. The Paranagua Container Terminal is one of the largest and most structured in South America. We also won by efficiency. The investments made here, by the private sector, are strong and provide security for the cargo to come here ”.
The Port of Paranaguá was established in 1872, as a private-owned wharf. In 1917 the State of Paraná took control of its concession, and began the works to expand the port. The new port opened in 1935. In 1947, a state organism, Administração dos Portos de Paranaguá (APP) was founded for overseeing its operation. In 1971, the APP started to manage also the port of Antonina becoming APPA (Administração dos Portos de Paranaguá e Antonina).
Since March 2018, TCP has been part of the China Merchants Port Holding Company (CMPort) portfolio, China’s largest and most competitive public port developer, investor and operator. Currently, the company’s operations and investments extend to coastal areas in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shenzhen, Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dailian, Zhangzhou, Zhanjiang, and Shantou. The company has also been expanding to South Asian, Mediterranean and South America. In March 2020, CMPort’s global port portfolio worked in 6 continents, 26 countries and regions, and 50 ports. In 2019 CMPort handled more than 110 million TEUs.
Paranagua and Antonina Ports at a glance
Total Area: 4.129.801,3 m²
Wharf and pier: 5.347 m
Berths: 24 (16 berths in Paranaguá commercial wharf, 4 berths in 2 liquid piers, 2 berths in 1 pier of fertilizers, 2 berths in Antonina)
Static Capacity (solid bulks): 1.776.500 tons
Static Capacity (fertilizers): 3 million tons (considering retro area)
Static Capacity (liquid bulks): 974 thousand m³
Containers annual movement capacity: 1,5 million of TEU’s
Embarkation nominal capacity (Exportation Aisle) – 9 thousand tons/hour
Unloading capacity (Operational average board for unloading fertilizers) – 6 thousand tons/day/ship
MHC – Mobile Port Hoist – (unloading solid bulks and general load): 06 units with capacity of 64 -104 tons.
Shiploaders: 10
Port Operators: 45 companies
Draft: 12,5 m
Sorting Courtyard Area: 330 thousand m²
Sorting Courtyard Capacity: 1 thousand trucks
Courtyard Area: 538 thousand m² (considering vehicles, containers and other yards)
(Source: Port Administration of Paranaguá and Antonina (APPA)
