Antonina exports wood pellets in bulk, an exclusive event in Brazil

Containers shortages and, consequently, their high cost encouraged the Ponta do Félix port in Antonina to opt for an unprecedented alternative in Brazil: exporting wood pellets in bulk. The operation, carried out as a pilot project in December, was successful, resulting in a contract signed between the port and the client to board nine ships with a total load of 120 thousand tonnes by the end of the year. The European market is the final destination.

“Container rental prices became very expensive. In fact, prices have gone up fivefold. Therefore, we chose a more viable alternative to export in bulk,”  informs Gilberto Birkhan, president of the Ponta do Félix port. According to him, while container shipping is more usual for this sort of cargo, nothing is lost in terms of quality with bulk transportation, which is also a less expensive option.

Birkhan says that the operation showed that the port has been thriving in focusing on specific, high-value-added cargo. “We cannot compete in terms of commodities with Paranaguá and other ports, so we decided to narrow down,” he says, citing, as an example, other successful shipment operations like non-GMO soybeans, malt, barley, and fertilizers.

Every 40 days, a Europe-bound vessel will be loaded with wood pellets. The customer who is exporting the product was not disclosed for commercial reasons, merely its origin. “This shipment comes from Santa Catarina’s hinterland and offers a significant opportunity for Paraná enterprises to make exports of this sort,” Birkhan emphasizes.

Source: Gazeta do Povo

To read the full original article, please go to:

https://www.gazetadopovo.com.br/parana/pela-primeira-vez-no-brasil-antonina-exporta-pellets-de-madeira-a-granel/

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