Açu Port opens regular cabotage route in partnership with Sal Cisne

The Açu Port has unveiled a new cabotage shipping route, offering regular service between Rio Grande do Norte and Rio de Janeiro, where the industrial port is situated. Executed by the Multicargo Terminal (T-MULT), this marks the second agreement with Refinaria Nacional de Sal, the producer of Sal Cisne, strengthening the mode as an alternative for transporting goods between the Northeast and Southeast regions.

In February of this year, the initial operation involved a volume of 70,000 tons, affirming Açu’s strategy in exploring the maritime route and the recent expansion of the T-MULT Terminal, which now includes two new covered warehouses for special cargoes. This second contract considers an estimated volume of 120,000 tons until 2024.

João Braz, Director of Terminals and Logistics at Açu Port, stated, “This long-term contract with the refinery establishes a new route for cabotage shipping of products destined for the food industry. This lane was tested in two shipments by the Multicargo Terminal (T-MUL) in February and June of this year. This contract aligns with our goal to provide more options for this mode to Açu Port clients in 2024, further enhancing our connectivity.”

Refinaria Nacional de Sal, in the market for over 70 years, brings its products to Brazilian tables, serving domestic and international markets. The company already utilizes coastal shipping logistics to transport the product from the Northeast to the factory in Cabo Frio, supplying the entire national and international market.

“The partnership with Açu Port raises the bar for service levels aligned with top management expectations,” said Ricardo Brinchi, Supply and Logistics Manager. We are counting on this partnership to increase productivity and quality in the salt chain and to maintain the group’s level of excellence.”

The cabotage shipping operation and product storage were made possible by quadrupling the static storage and customs capacity of the Açu cargo terminal. T-MULT can handle solid bulk products, project cargo, break bulk, containers, and Ro/Ro vehicles. Operating since 2016 within the country’s only 100% private port, the terminal is connected to major national highways without any access restrictions, offering minimal waiting time and high productivity, thus reducing demurrage costs. This has explained the exponential growth in export, import, and coastal operations each year.

Since the start of its activities, the terminal has had a notable ramp-up, with a 45% average annual growth. In total, T-MULT has already moved more than 6 million tons. For 2023, the projection is to double the volume moved compared to 2022, with the operation of the two new covered warehouses setting T-MULT on track for a new annual record.

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