The Port of Paranaguá will move this week the largest amount of grains for export in history. The Chinese ship Lan Hua Hai arrives late Monday in the port of Parana and will receive 90,000 tons of soybean meal – the equivalent of more than 2,500 loaded trucks. The operation is expected to last 4 days.

With 254 meters in length and 43 meters of mouth (width), this is one of the largest bulk carriers already received in the Export Corridor, with size over two football fields, such as the Maracanã Stadium.

“The choice of Paranaguá for a move of this size proves that we have capacity and agility of disposal. It is not just about receiving the ship and having a quay structure, but also all the warehouses, conveyor belts, organized arrival of the trucks and quality in the classification of the products “, highlights the president of the Ports of Paraná, Luiz Fernando Garcia.

MODEL – The option for the Ports of Paraná also takes into account the model of the Export Corridor. The pool system, unique in Brazil, allows the same ship to receive goods from different producers. The cargo that will fill the seven holds of Lan Hua Hai will leave four terminals: Cotriguaçu, Coamo, Cargill and Silo Público.

The Brazilian bran will be destined to the Netherlands and was bought from companies and cooperatives of producers like Cargill, ADM, Coamo, Cocamar, Agrária and Comigo.

For Cargill’s manager in Paranaguá, André Maragliano, the current docking rules for the port of Paranaguá, mainly for the bran, make the exporters to get priority in the berth and this would be one of the advantages of carrying out this operation in the Paranaan terminal.

“The priority of mooring in the Export Corridor for this type of ship, this regulation, greatly reduced the waiting time in port, this is a great attraction. In addition, investments made in recent years, mainly with the dredging of cribs, and new shiploaders also provide customer comfort and security in bringing such an operation to Paranaguá, “he says.

Another positive point, according to him, is to be able to meet, in a single scale, a lot that in a common ship (Panamax) would have to do at least two scales to take the volume. “This also reduces cost and meets the needs of the buyer,” he concludes.

VOLUME – On average, ships arriving to carry solid bulk cargoes in the Port of Paranaguá measure between 199 and 229 meters in length. These, in general, receive little more than 60 thousand tons of cargo (soybean, corn or bran) by scale.

According to the director of operations, Luiz Teixeira, Lan Hua Hai will move 50% more than the volume shipped normally in the three exclusive berths of the Export Corridor. “We have efficient equipment that allows us to reach the full size of the holds, avoiding the use of equipment on board, which would delay or make the loading unfeasible,” he says.

In the corridor, there are six shiploaders (ship loaders) with a nominal capacity of 1,500 tons / hour. The complex also has a public terminal – with a vertical silo (100 thousand tons) and four horizontal (with a total capacity of 60 thousand tons) – and eight terminals, between private and leased, interconnected, with a global capacity of 1.025 million tons .

ADVANTAGES: According to Gilmar Francener, head of the Silo Division of the Ports of Paraná, ships with large cargo capacity allow an operational gain. A ship of 90,000 tons replaces the mooring of two smaller ships and with that, the shipment is made in less time.

“The reduction of the operational times, with reduction of the maneuvers of entrance and exit, reflects in the price of the freight. Lower costs mean greater competitiveness and make the business more advantageous. In addition, the market has confidence in the quality of the cargo shipped, “he says.

PREVIOUS – The largest shipments of grains for export so far were from the Nord Cetus vessels, which in October 2013 carried 84,755,730 tonnes and Jubilant Devotion which in March 2018 carried 84,732,612 tonnes. Both have 245 meters and loaded soybean meal in the Port of Paranaguá.

Source: APPA – Administração dos Portos de Paranaguá e Antonina