Port of Santos sets new record for container handling in October

The Port of Santos reached a record handling level of 383,933 TEU during the month of October, an increase of 0.2% over the previous record which was reached in the same month of 2019. The level confirms the increasing cargo trend which fluctuated negatively in the middle of the year and reversed in September. In tonnage terms, containerized cargo also broke a record for the month, with 4.3 million tons handled.

According to the president of the Santos Port Authority (SPA), Fernando Biral, the good performance reflects the beginning of the economic recovery – the containers move the cargoes with greater added value. “The movement of containers was greatly affected by the pandemic, with the reduction in ship travel and lower industrial production, but the numbers point to a recovery in demand in Brazil and in the world,” says Biral.

2020 accumulated movement registered 122.5 million tons, an increase of 8.7% in the annual base and a record for the ten-month period. The result was driven by exports, which reached 90.4 million tons, up 13.3%. Imports registered 32.2 million tons, down 2.5%.

Shipments of soy and sugar stood out as the two busiest cargo in the port complex, with 21.1 million tons and 20.1 million tons moved, up 19.9% ​​and 68.1%, respectively.

Other well-performing exports include pulp, with 4.7 million tons handled and growth of 16%; bulk soybean meal, with 5.8 million tons handled and growth of 15%; and fuel oil, with 1.8 million tons handled and growth of 72.9%.

In the period, the port maintained its leadership in the participation of the Brazilian trade chain, accounting for 28.4% of the total trade.

Monthly movement

In tonnage, October registered a negative variation of 3.1% in relation to the same month of 2019, with 12.4 million tons. Solid vegetable bulk, which had been keeping successive records every month this year, fell by 7.7% in relation to October 2019, with 6 million tons. Sugar exports reached 2.6 million tons, a variation of 70.2%.

Shipments in the month decreased by 0.5% compared to October 2019, with 8.8 million tons. Landings decreased 8.7% in relation to the same month of 2019, with a record of 3.6 million tons.

The flow of ships in October was 403 (down 5.4%) to reach 4,095 for the year (up 1.3%).

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