Suape Port handled a record 12.4 million tonnes in first semester

The Port of Suape is forecast to set a new historical record in 2020 for cargo volume handled. The first semester registered growth of 17% year-on-year, with 12.4 million tonnes handled, a record amount for this period. The result is also 8.8% higher than in the first half of 2018, which totaled 11.4 million tonnes.  This was also a record at the time. The good performance made Suape jump from sixth position in the public port ranking, to fourth place. The expectation is the port will end 2020 with double-digit growth.

The main reason for the increase is the movement of liquid bulk, and in particular, bunker oil operations produced at the Abreu e Lima Refinery, leading to a 94% increase in exports, mainly to Singapore. Another product that had significant growth was LPG (cooking gas), with an increase of 18% in shipments and 29% in receipts, totaling 1.2 million tonnes. More than 75% of all cargo that passes through the port is liquid bulk and in the first half the total handled was 9.3 million tonnes, representing an increase of 22.2%. Suape is the largest national hub in this cargo group.

The movement of containers registered growth of 2.4% to 230,504 TEU, and 0.5% by weight, totaling 2.5 million tonnes in the period. Meanwhile, solid bulk cargo ended the semester with a 16.4% increase and 276,035 tonnes. Much of the movement was wheat, with a total of 217,187 tonnes and an increase of 48% over the same period last year. Coke shipments also helped this result with 31,348 tonnes, produced at the Abreu e Lima Refinery (Rnest) and exported to the United States. Last year, there was only one pilot operation of the product.

Loose cargo also had good growth in the first half, reaching a 16.4% increase and a total of 198,816 tons in relation to the same period last year. The highlight was sugar in sacks, which had a great percentage growth of 79% and totaled 67,536 tonnes. This group also includes vehicles, blades and wind towers, steel coils and sheets, among other goods.

In cabotage shipping, Suape ended the semester with 8 million tonnes – an increase of 13% in relation to the first six months of 2019. Exports had an even higher percentage growth, reaching 80% and a total of 1.86 million tonnes. Imported cargo totaled 2.5 million tonnes – an increase of 2%.

The following graph shows the movement of cargo through the Port of Suape in the first five months of 2019 and 2020 by product:

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