Port of Itajaí makes operational adjustments to reduce truck wait times

The flow of trucks at the Port of Itajaí has ​​been causing disturbances in the region. About 800 trucks per day access the port, and recently these vehicles have been honking in protest due to long waiting lines. To try to solve this problem, the municipality of Itajaí is making improvements on an emergency basis together with the port superintendent. The negotiations advanced on November 25 when the mayor of Itajaí, Volnei Morastoni, met with representatives from various port sectors. The meeting was held on November 25^th with representatives of the Superintendency of the Port of Itajaí, APM,  the Itajaí Attorney General’s office, Labor (TPAs), Customs Brokers union, Codetran, autonomous transporters, and others

An action plan was defined that is already being put into practice, with the aim of immediately containing the problems that interfere with public disturbances, such as the “honking” on the main roads and the port access roads.  The action plan includes:

– The immediate hiring of 35 drivers by APM Terminals (Port of Itajaí leasing company), external to the OGMO (labor-management agency), with the endorsement and agreement of the Labor representatives and unions, thus giving more flexibility in port internal traffic;

– The Port of Itajaí, through APM, is importing a part from Germany to repair a crane that will improve ship operations. This equipment will become operational in the first half of December;

– Review of password emissions to adapt the operational capacity currently installed by APM, thus minimizing the number of trucks on public roads;

– Improvements in winch services to service trucks in the terminal’s internal area;

– Implementation of the Carousel System, an innovation in the internal logistics of the Municipality of Itajaí, in which all trucks will only enter through one gate (Gate 1) and leave through another gate (Gate 2), reducing conflicts. Note: This action depends on the completion of bidding scheduled for December 9 and the final release for implementation by the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service

– Concerned about the population, rounds by municipal police and CODETRAN agents will be intensified with the objective of advising drivers not to honk; they will be educational and non-punitive actions;

– Improvements in the internal operational flow will be made to reduce the driver’s stay in the primary area of ​​the port;

– New meetings will be held to debate, align, and improve the proposed actions.

The Port of Itajaí can clarify some points that have caused delays in port logistics. For example, there is a significant weekly increase in the volume of import containers and a lack of more than 80 independent direct laborers who have tested positive for Covid-19. There is also a broken APM crane and many drivers arrive ahead of schedule, further increasing queues on public roads, among other factors.

The Municipality of Itajaí and the Port of Itajaí Superintendence emphasize that despite the difficulties resulting from the pandemic, the Port of Itajaí is experiencing record movement.

See the graph below for cargo movement growth at Port of Itajaí since 2017:

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