Eldorado logistics chief hails record daily pulp shipment of 22,000 tonnes

The operation of Eldorado Brasil Celulose’s terminal (EBLog) in the Port of Santos marked its two-year anniversary last Thursday, solidifying its strong performance. Since its inauguration, the terminal has surpassed 1.5 million tonnes of pulp shipped via break bulk (in the ship’s hold, outside containers), averaging 60 vessels per year. Additionally, more than 20,000 trucks have been unloaded, and over 2,000 containers have been filled. In May of this year, EBLog set a new daily record, shipping 22,200 tonnes in a single day.

Recently, the terminal, which employs 150 people, also achieved important international certifications: ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety), reaffirming the company’s commitment to global standards of excellence, safety, and sustainability. While EBLog now celebrates its second anniversary, Eldorado Brasil has been present in the Port of Santos since 2015, initially operating from the former Rishis Terminal. Owned by the J&F Group, Eldorado has a factory in Três Lagoas (Mato Grosso do Sul) and exports around 90% of its pulp to more than 40 countries. Flavio da Rocha Costa, 48, Logistics Director at EBLog and a company veteran of over a decade, has closely followed its evolution. In the following interview with A Tribuna, he discusses the terminal’s achievements, logistical challenges, future strategies, and the vital link between port and city.

What’s your assessment of the Santos terminal operation? What comes to mind when you look back on this journey?
When we began operations in Santos in 2013, we used a third-party terminal. We operated there for about three years. We then secured a 10,000-square-meter area at the Rishis terminal, where Cofco is currently located. Back then, we had to drive ten kilometers just to reach the ship’s berth for loading. Trucks had to go through traffic lights, congestion, and even wait for trains to pass.

Even with all those logistical challenges, was Eldorado already exceeding expectations back then?
We achieved phenomenal productivity numbers. We started by shipping 6,000 tonnes every 24 hours and eventually hit 12,000 tonnes — nearly matching what our competitors were doing. The team was deeply committed. We began with breakbulk shipments (non-containerized cargo in the ship’s hold) and later balanced that with 50% containerized cargo.

Then, Eldorado won the auction for this new area and inaugurated the terminal on July 31, 2023?
We export 90% of our production, and Santos is the closest port to our operations in Três Lagoas (MS), so investing here was essential. We went from a challenging situation to what feels like a dream: a terminal of about 53,000 m². Now I can park 72 railcars inside the terminal and dock two vessels at once. We’re just 25 meters from the berth. Over the past two years, we’ve optimized our operations and achieved impressive results. For instance, we’ve reduced truck unloading time by 30%. We’ve managed to ship up to 18,000 tonnes in a day and even reached a peak of 22,000 tonnes. Before this terminal, as I mentioned, we were maxing out at 12,000.

This year, the terminal obtained new ISO certifications. Why is that important?
To export to Europe and the U.S., there’s an international certification that audits the entire pulp chain—from plantation to final customer—which we’ve had from the start. The new certifications are specifically for port operations. We expected to achieve them by next year, but we reached that milestone seven months ahead of schedule. ISO certification simply says: this company works with quality.

How would you rate the importance of this Santos terminal for Eldorado today?
It’s absolutely essential. Without it, we couldn’t produce 1.8 million tonnes, let alone expand with future projects. Today, we have a terminal capable of handling 3 million tonnes per year, and we’re currently moving between 900,000 and 1 million. We’re ready for increased production.

What are your plans for the coming years?
A project is already being prepared by Eldorado to expand its total output to 4.5 million tonnes annually. We’re waiting for the right time to implement it. And we’ve informed the company that the terminal is ready. Whenever needed, we can handle that volume of pulp.

So, no plans to expand further at the Port of Santos in the coming years?
Not at the moment. That said, we’re always looking for opportunities within the port. If something comes up, we could rethink our operational matrix. We need to remain open to opportunities and options.

And how do you assess the Port of Santos, which is still facing numerous bottlenecks?
Everything the port needs to grow is already underway. A public call for bids was recently launched to deepen the navigation channel to 16 meters — a request we’ve long made, especially since ships are becoming larger, but the draft has remained the same. The vessel fleet arriving at the port is now better managed, the VTMIS (Vessel Traffic Management Information System) tender has been published by APS, and new areas are being studied for expansion. Even the third lane of the Imigrantes Highway is being planned, which is crucial. We just can’t let these things stall midway.

Source: A Tribuna