São Francisco do Sul Port – Fertilizer vessel waiting times drop 70%

The largest port in Santa Catarina by cargo throughput, São Francisco do Sul, reduced vessel waiting times for fertilizer unloading by 70% this year.

The improvement was achieved through an internal directive issued by the port’s management in April, at the request of Governor Jorginho Mello, granting berthing priority to fertilizer ships at one of the terminal’s docks.

According to the latest data from the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), the waiting time, which reached 28 days in March, had fallen to eight days by June.

With this change, the northern Santa Catarina port became faster than its neighbor, Paranaguá, which in June took 12 days to unload a fertilizer ship.

By August, fertilizer imports through the northern Santa Catarina port totaled 1.8 million tonnes, representing 7% of Brazil’s total imports.

The product, used to boost agricultural productivity and quality, is mainly supplied by Russia, Canada, and China, as well as the United States and Morocco. The remainder comes from Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.

For São Francisco do Sul Port President Cleverton Vieira, the reduction in vessel waiting times ensures lower costs across the entire fertilizer logistics chain. “This measure has a positive impact on agribusiness in both Santa Catarina and Brazil, since our port is one of the main entry points for fertilizer in the country,” he said.

Tribute

In recognition of this key role in fertilizer imports, the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Santa Catarina (Fecoagro) honored São Francisco do Sul Port on Monday, the 8th, during a special session at the state’s Legislative Assembly marking the federation’s 50th anniversary.

President Cleverton Vieira received a plaque “in recognition of the relevant services provided to Fecoagro and to the development of agribusiness and agricultural cooperativism in Santa Catarina.”

Fertilizer vs. Pesticide

Fertilizers, which are not classified as pesticides, are nutrients used in agriculture to strengthen soil and boost yields. They are essential for crops such as corn, soybeans, rice, and wheat. Fertilizer granules (which look like small styrofoam balls) are manufactured in factories by combining mineral elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, limestone, and potassium.

“Following the governor’s directive that the port adequately serve all cargo segments, we revised the berthing rule to give priority to vessels unloading fertilizer. This ensured lower costs across the entire logistics chain, since these ships are now spending less time waiting,” Vieira concluded.

Source: Porto de São Francisco do Sul

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