Container Terminal had record movement with 983,383 TEUs operated; sector was highlighted in import and export.
TCP – the company that manages the Paranaguá Container Terminal closed the year 2020 with the best movement in its history, totaling 983,383 TEUs, even in a scenario of uncertainty reducing the crisis caused by the pandemic of COVID-19. The number represents a 7.44% growth compared to 2019, when the terminal accounted for 915,242 TEUs handled.
Throughout the year, the Terminal hit consecutive records of different cargo handling, among them, the largest container handling in a single month when, in November, it registered 94,406 TEUs. “Despite the ills that a pandemic brought to the country, the year was one of overcoming and took us to the historical record of movements. We took a series of measures to combat COVID-19, such as access controls, alcohol gel and removed employees from the risk group without their commitment ”, highlights Thomas Lima, Commercial and Institutional Director of TCP.
The executive credits the good result of 2020 with a set of factors, mainly, to the company’s preparation for the moment. “From an infrastructure point of view, we have prepared ourselves with investments of over half a billion in recent years, expanding our capacity from 1.5 million TEUs to 2.5 million TEUs. The logistical platform that the company has built is also one of the great differentials: TCP has a railway with direct access to the yard, internal warehouses and intermodal bases to meet the different needs of the market ”, he evaluates.
MOVEMENT
Agribusiness played a decisive role in the movement of TCP throughout 2020, both in import and export. An example of this is the cotton that reached the mark of 3,359 TEUs exported, a value that represents 116% more than the movement of 2019, when the Terminal counted 1,516 TEUs destined abroad.
Still in exports, refrigerated cargo (reefer) was also the protagonist with the historical handling record, with 185,192 TEUs, maintaining the position as the largest exporter of refrigerated cargo in the country.
Imports were driven by the fertilizer load that ended the year totaling 33,809 TEUs, 28.43% higher than the previous record recorded in 2018, when 26,324 TEUs passed through the terminal.
In November, the import of electronics via Paranaguá also grew, reaching 3,930 TEUs, surpassing the record registered in January 2020 (2,870 TEUs). The civil construction / infrastructure sector also stands out, also with a record in the penultimate month of the year, with 1,162 TEUs – the last record recorded was in March 2018, with 1,102 TEUs.
For 2021, the company’s goal is to surpass the mark of 1 million TEUs handled.