Ports of Bahia break sales records for five straight months

According to Codeba (Bahia State Dock Company), the ports of Bahia have hit record sales in the last five months. The growth rate reached 43.63% in September, when income jumped from R$11m to R$16m. The data show a positive chain reaction, since there was greater flow and storage of products, which has generated greater revenue to the state.

The numbers also show growth in cargo handling – 9.7m tons in total. In October, for example, there was a 9.85% increase in the volume of cargo transported over the same period of 2018. In June, the number increased 21% when compared to the same period of the previous year. Among the products with greater circulation are wheat, by the Port of Salvador, and naphtha, in the Port of Aratu. “The results point to a warming of the Bahian economy and demonstrate the importance of choosing a results-oriented technical management. Codeba is focused on enhancing the vocations of the economy in each port,” says the National Secretary of Ports and Waterways Transportation of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Diogo Piloni.

Efficient actions in Ports of Bahia

To leverage the performance of port operations, Codeba’s president, Alex Sandro de Ávila, has guided management in actions that promote the efficiency of operations and boost productivity to raise the level of service in Bahian ports.

Among the actions developed are interactive meetings that allow direct dialogue between tenants, investors, and directors of the Ministry of Infrastructure with a goal to foster new investments for ports. In addition, a new operational rule was implemented at the Port of Aratu, already under experimental execution, which has yielded good results. “We tested the measure to improve Aratu’s performance. I think the most important thing was to see that we can improve our productivity in the port’s fertilizer unloading operations. With that, we can produce more in less time and lower the costs for the entire logistics chain,” says Avila.

The new rule is in the testing phase for 180 days and, after this period, the Port Authority will make results evaluation and technical analysis to effect, adapt, or discontinue the action. “We have taken the initiative to create a working group to promote discussions regarding performance optimization and productivity improvement of the bulk solid product (fertilizer) landfill operations at the Port of Aratu. This topic is of utmost importance to us,” explains Avila, who has been chairing the body since September this year. The Productivity WG is attended by representatives of the entire port community.

Another efficient action was the arrival of an investment of around R$309m in the Port of Aratu. The money will provide for the construction of a new pier, which will allow the operation of all types of liquid fuels and chemicals, as well as the construction of new storage areas. “This will dramatically decrease demurrage, which is the surcharge paid to the shipowner for not being able to dock in the berth due to lack of space. The new pier will allow shorter docking time, as well as the possibility of receiving more import ships, which means more cargo to be shipped and more revenue generated for the state,” said Flávia Morais Takahashi, director of the Department of Contract Management at the Ministry of Infrastructure.

Study

Codeba is also developing a technical study to identify the potential and make modeling analysis to attract new investments to the Port of Ilhéus and the Port of Salvador. Results are expected to be released in the second half of 2020.

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