Investments drive record growth at the Port of São Francisco do Sul

São Francisco do Sul Port has emerged as the top cargo-handling port in Santa Catarina in 2023, with a cargo throughput of 15.3 million tonnes in the first 11 months, according to the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq). This result allowed the port in northern Santa Catarina to surpass the private port terminals of Portonave and Itapoá, marking a 30% increase compared to the same period in 2022 (11.7 million tonnes).

Projections suggest that cargo shipments and discharges at São Francisco will reach 16.5 million tonnes by the end of December, marking the highest throughput in its history.

One of the key factors contributing to the continuous growth of Santa Catarina’s largest port in 2023 is the acquisition of new clients from various states in the South and Midwest regions of Brazil, such as Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, and Goiás.

New Gate Improves Truck Flow

In July, a new access point to the port was opened, featuring three new truck scales that streamlined truck movements. With two more scales, the port now handles up to 1,500 trucks daily, compared to an average of 500 vehicles.

The new gate incorporates cutting-edge technology for vehicle inspection. Among the innovations is biometric recognition of drivers using palm scanning, making São Francisco the first public port in the country to employ this type of biometrics.

Cleverton Vieira, the port’s president, explained that São Francisco exports 80% of all soybeans produced in Santa Catarina and imports 42% of all steel received by Brazil.

Authorization for Corn Exports to China

The port invested R$7.6 million in the Grain Terminal to revitalize the railway network, pave access roads, and restore scales. These improvements were crucial to meeting the sanitary requirements and quality standards demanded by China for corn exports.

In May, the port received approval from the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture to enable the shipment of corn to Asian countries. The certification, carried out by Brazilian and Chinese authorities, ensures that the port terminal meets requirements such as quarantine, transportation, storage, and proper grain processing.

ISO 9001 and 14001 Certification

In June, an external audit secured the renewal of ISO 9001 (Quality Management) and 14001 (Environmental Management) certifications. São Francisco do Sul Port earned this recognition in 2022, joining an exclusive group of certified public ports.

The ISO 9001 standard for quality management outlines internal guidelines to achieve quality management to meet customer demands efficiently. ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) specifies the requirements for the environmental management system, focusing on a company’s commitment to managing and preventing potential environmental impacts.

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