Portonave handles 638,000 TEUs with the highest vessel productivity in Brazil according to ANTAQ

With an average of 116.5 movements per hour (MPH), this key performance indicator grew by 40% as the company carries out the Quay Infrastructure Works through a private investment of R$1 billion to receive larger vessels

The port terminal handled 638,476 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) by the end of the first half of 2024. According to the latest data from the National Waterway Transportation Agency (ANTAQ), from May of this year, Portonave achieved the highest vessel productivity in the company’s history and among the country’s port terminals, with an average of 116.5 movements per hour (MPH), a 40% increase in this key performance indicator (KPI) compared to the same period of last year.

In addition to the robust performance, in which 266 vessel calls were received, the company continues its investments. In January, the Quay Infrastructure Works were initiated, a private investment of R$1 billion to receive larger vessels – up to 400m in overall length (LOA) – handle more containers, and increase efficiency.  Currently, the construction of the new foundation is underway on the east side of the quay, where the first phase of the works is carried out. For the terminal’s operations to continue uninterrupted, the works are divided into two phases. Once the first phase ends, the works will move over to the west side (second phase).

Portonave is the market leader in the state of Santa Catarina with a 50% market share of full-container handling, according to data from June of this year released by Datamar, a consulting firm specializing in the maritime sector. The main products exported were wood and its derivatives (41%), frozen meat and its derivatives (36%), and paper (8%). For imports, Portonave handled plastics and derivatives (18%), machinery (11%), and textiles (11%). The countries with the most imports were China, the United States, and Colombia. The largest export destinations were China, the United States, and Mexico.

330,000 truck accesses were recorded

In the first half of the year, 330,738 trucks accessed the Gate, with an average truck turnaround time of 30 minutes, demonstrating the agility of the terminal’s operations. Every day about 2,200 trucks pass through the gates, although there have been peaks reaching up to 3,000 trucks.

Growth in frozen meat movements in cold storage

Iceport, Portonave’s fully automated cold storage, received 110,000 tons of food from January to June, an increase of 8% compared to last year. 61% were products derived from poultry and pork, 29% from vegetables, and 10% from beef. Handling of poultry and pork products increased by 17%, mainly due to the state’s large-scale production.

Santa Catarina is a leader in pig farming, with a 29% national share, and comes in second for poultry production with a 13% national share, according to the Animal Slaughter Survey by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in the first quarter. The cold storage also recorded a 10% growth in the handling of beef.  For 15 years, Iceport has offered logistics services in the storage and depot operations of reefer containers for temperature-controlled cargo.

Commitment to people

In June, the company again received the Great Place to Work (GPTW) certification, with a score of 82 points, a major recognition in relation to people management. One highlight initiative is the Massage Therapy Program for visually impaired people in the region, which trained nine students, five of whom were hired by the terminal. These massage therapists treat Portonave’s professionals from Monday to Friday, offering well-being in their day-to-day activities.

Twenty social actions and projects were carried out and promoted in the first half through the Portonave Institute, which drives the sustainable development of local communities and supports positive transformation in the region with a focus on reducing social inequalities. “Embarca Aí” (Get on board) is a program carried out daily with 80 youths from the public school system of Navegantes, training them in the port segment. On a monthly basis, students attend classes held on the terminal’s premises.

The Portonave Institute supports “Tropa do Tatame” (Mat Troop), an initiative of the Military Police that benefits 35 children at the 25th Battalion of Navegantes through martial arts training and lessons on citizenship. There is also “Surf Sem Limites” (Surf with No Limits), a surfing project for people with disabilities, which integrates and aids the development of 20 students through lessons held at Navegantes Beach and the Association of Parents and Friends of People with Autism. In 2023, 172,000 people were benefitted by these initiatives.

Students from “Embarca Aí”

About Portonave

Portonave, located in Navegantes, Santa Catarina, is the first private container terminal in Brazil and was structured based on a greenfield project, meaning it was constructed from the ground up on the banks of the Itajaí-Açu River, which demonstrates its pioneering spirit. For 16 years, the terminal has been an industry benchmark for operational excellence, adopting ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) practices such as the use of electric machinery, the rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTG) for handling containers, and ecological and electric equipment. The terminal employs 1,200 direct and 5,500 indirect professionals. Since the beginning of the company’s operations, Navegantes has risen by 10 ranks in the state’s gross domestic product (GDP). Currently, the municipality has the 15th largest economy in Santa Catarina.