Porto Itapoá achieved an important milestone in September 2023, with its highest volume of imports for the year.
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Their result for this month was 12,891 containers, the second best in their history, behind only March 2021, when they handled 13,129 containers.
This figure was driven, in particular, by the supply chains for machinery and its components (corresponding to 30% of the total), metallurgy and steel (24% of the total), plastic and plastic products (23%) and chemical products (23%), according to Cássio Schreiner, the President of Porto Itapoá.
“The end of the year is usually a strong period for imports, especially due to the end of year festivities and the industry’s preparations for the year to comeâ€, he explained.
China continues to be the main source of imported products. 83% of the imports that passed through Porto Itapoá in September came from there.
“We currently have the shortest import transit time from Asia among the cluster of ports in the south of Brazilâ€, explained Schreiner. “This is important for importers, as they can have greater certainty about their operations and production deadlines.â€
Chile was second, the source for 10% of the total, and India third, with 7%.
The month of September was also notable for export crossdocking operations – a format in which exporters send loose cargo on trucks to be packed into containers inside the Terminal.
“It is already the best year in our history. We have handled 2218 containers, which surpasses what we handled for the whole of 2022, when we handled 2047 containersâ€, he noted.
The most important supply chains for this type of operation were paper and wood pulp, responsible for 64% of the total, and plastic and plastic products, with 36%.
“Crossdocking is a way to make life easier for the customer. They do not need to worry about returning the container to the shipping company and they avoid transport costs and any potential penalties for late returns, known as demurrageâ€, he explained.
The main destinations were China, around 60% of the total, Singapore, around 24%, and Spain, 18% of the total. ■