NEWS TRADES & COMMODITIES www.drycargomag.com SEPTEMBER 2023
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Brazilian North terminals grain exports growing
Cargill CBU at Santarem Terminal, operating at maximum capacity.
On 1 September 2023, USDA (US Department of Agriculture) confirmed that Brazil was for a second year the main corn exporter. This development is the result of a growth in continuous production, and is being supported by logistic expansions at ports in the north of the country, writes Paulo Lemgruber, INTEROCEAN Engenharia. Mainly using inland navigation that started 30 years ago, Madeira river inland navigation for grains feed the new private harbours enterprises that are currently operating at Itacoatiara, Santarem, Vila do Conde and Santana harbour complexes. The Itaqui harbour is serviced by railway from the eastern farming region as well as by roads. These new logistical options support the farmers’ best priorities to enlarge productions, originally of soya and lately corn. It’s also of key importance that the USA is using more corn for ethanol, in the same way that Brazil uses sugar cane production for clean fuel — a far better environmental solution than Europe’s electrical generation mainly by coal power plants. Amazonian inland navigation has been driven by modern azimuthal pusher boats that operate more reliable at higher speed than conventional pushers. They provided better convoy controls at the bends and narrows of wild waterways subject to expressive flood currents and depths exceeding 18m at Madeira, 23m at Amazon and 7m at Tapajos rivers, the main waterways from Central North to the world, providing the extra production
TGPM Floating Terminal (ADM & GLENCORE ) at Para river with two roofed barges for SIWERTELL barge unloader 1,800tph.
A 5x5 UNITAPAJOS (BUNGE & AMAGGI ) convoy 50,000dwt designed by Brazilian INTEROCEAN. At Tapajos-Amazon-Para the river is subject to waves because of Amazonian storms. The hatch covers with aluminium light weight fast handling, supplied by Belgian manufactures Blommaert, provides full hold access during fast loading and unloading operation and provides safe watertightness.
