Porto Itapoá has new integrated logistics solutions

The new services will help customers with specific requirements as well as reduce operating costs

Porto Itapoá now has some new integrated logistics solutions. The first is a storage service for cargo in the general warehouse, allocating a dedicated area of just over 2 thousand square meters, exclusively for operations managed by the port itself. The second is a road transport service to take consolidated (LTL – Less Than Truckload) cargo to customers’ premises, departing daily.

According to the CFO of Porto Itapoá, Roberto Pandolfo, these new services were introduced to meet the specific needs of some companies. “The integrated solutions that we are providing are designed to make life easier for our customers, but they can also be used to reduce their costs, depending on the nature of the logistics involved”, he explains.

The immediate benefit of the storage service for general cargo, Pandolfo explains, is that it helps customers be more flexible in terms of how they use containers. It can prevent them having to pay demurrage (the penalty the customer pays for using a container beyond the contracted term) or at least reduce these charges. “By setting aside this strategic location for the ‘unloading’ of the container, it can be returned to the ship-owner faster and more easily. This is important because the free-time (time the container can be used) has been considerably reduced since the beginning of the pandemic”.

The area can also be used as a spillover for a company that is near the limit of its storage capacity. We are treating it as an option for customers that might need at some point, somewhere to store their cargo In addition, the operational procedures for it are our responsibility, which undoubtedly makes it more convenient”, commented Pandolfo.

As for the second solution, Porto Itapoá has designed a transport service for partial cargo loads (LTL – Less Than Truckload), to add to the cargo operations for partial container loads (LCL – Less than Container Load). This began in July has already been adopted as part of some customer’s operations. Deliveries can be made within 160km and 260km of Porto Itapoá. The aim is to transport the cargo directly to the customer’s premises using transportation managed by the Terminal itself. “This way, we absorb one of the stages of the customer’s logistics, providing assurance that they will be delivered and putting an end to any delays”, emphasized the CFO of Porto Itapoá.

Roberto Pandolfo also pointed out that Porto Itapoá had various logistics services available in the Terminal’s backyard area, as well as their own facilities. “The support service facilities from contractors, for the port operations in our region, are now at a mature level and have the capacity to deal with many different requirements”, he finished.

Port under expansion
Porto Itapoá’s expansion works have already begun and will be complete by the end of 2023. This expansion represents an important step for the Terminals operations and once complete, the amount of cargo it can handle will practically double. The yard will be extended from 250 thousand m² at present to 455 thousand m². The expansion is the product of BRL 750 million in investment.

Roberto Pandolfo, Porto Itapoá’s CFO said he was pleased with the good progress of the works. “We have been constantly investing in technology and infrastructure that will improve our performance”, he stated. “This expansion will give us a greater handling capacity, from 1.2 million TEUs per year to 2 million TEUs, explained Pandolfo.