Pecém negotiates new shipping lines to meet Brazil’s northeast cargo demands

The Port of Pecém is negotiating two new shipping lines to cater to the export and import demands of Brazil’s Northeast region. According to André Magalhães, the Commercial Director of the Pecém Complex (Cipp), the new service could commence as early as October or November this year. However, the details of the negotiation are yet to be disclosed.

“We are actively working towards negotiating two more maritime routes. For now, we can only say that we are working hard to cater more to the needs of the Northeast, Pecém, and Ceará,” he stated. On Friday (25), the maritime terminal resumed its seasonal itinerary to send fresh fruits via a dedicated ship, the MSC Sofia Celeste.

The carrier will depart from Pecém to the ports of Rotterdam and London, totaling 98% of the shipped volume. The remainder will be sent to other European terminals. The initial cargo set comprised 2,500 tonnes, including melons, watermelons, mangoes, and grapes produced in the states of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, and Bahia.

With technological developments, new investments, and this seasonal service, the movement of these items through the Port of Pecém is expected to rise by at least 10%. “In 2022, we handled 6,500 fruit containers, totaling 163,000 tonnes. We expect 7,300 containers this year, corresponding to 182,000 tonnes,” he calculated.

See below the container movement, as in exports and imports, from the Port of Pecem between Jan 2019 and Jun 2023. The data is from DataLiner.

Container movement at Pecem | Jan 2019 – Jun 2023 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Conservative Projection

Magalhães, however, notes that the 10% projection is conservative and even better results may be achieved. In the first seven months of 2023, Pecém exported 25,600 tonnes of fruits. “This year presents a different, more optimistic scenario with more regular shipping, container availability, and the commitment of shipowners,” he listed.

According to Magalhães, the port has acquired new equipment for loading and unloading ships to enhance productivity. As a result, the port is now capable of handling 90 containers per hour. “We have improved our services and offer a more flexible berthing window, which means reduced time to reach the destination,” he added.

Currently, Pecém has three shipping lines catering to the fruit market, including the one with the Sofia Celeste ship and another that started three weeks ago, headed for North American ports. The third service is set to begin in September, facilitating exports to the Mediterranean region of Europe.

Fonte: Diario do Nordeste

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