The National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ) released, in February 2018, the Waterway Sector Statistical Data 2017, with the results of Brazilian water transport for the year. This statistical study presents data on movements in public and private ports, types of navigation and characteristics of transported products.
In 2017, the movement of products in Brazilian ports reached 1,09 billion tons, which represents an increase of 8,3% compared to the previous year. The main type of cargo that boosted this increase was Solid Bulk, which increased by 10,3% in the same period and represents 64% of the total handled. Other types of cargo also saw an increase in the quantities handled: Liquid Bulk increased by 3,8% and represent 21% of the total handled; Containers rose by 6,1%, representing 10% of the total handled; and General Loose Cargo, which increased by 7,6% and represents 5% of the total.
In terms of cargo handled, in Brazil the main product continues to be iron ore. Representing 58% of Brazilian exports by weight, ore increased by 5,2% between 2016 and 2017. The movement of this product is mostly export (96%) and its main destinations are the markets of China, Malaysia and Japan. The two main outlets for our main product are the ports of Ponta da Madeira, in Maranhão, and Porto de Tubarão, in Espírito Santo. The Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal, which belongs to Vale, serves as an outlet for Carajás production and showed, between 2010 and 2017, an increase in handling of 79%, reaching almost 170 million tons last year. With the ongoing expansion projects, it is expected that in 2018 the port's capacity will reach 230 million tons/year, transforming Ponta da Madeira into the largest port in the world. The theme of investments to increase capacities in
The second main cargo handled was Oil and its derivatives, which increased by 3,3% between 2016 and 2017, reaching 200,6 million tons transported. Of these 200,6 million, 67% refer to cabotage, 29% to long-haul transport and 4% to inland navigation.
Unlike iron ore, in long-distance transport, imports of oil and derivatives are higher than exports: 30,9 versus 27,4 ton. A well-known fact, the difference that most calls attention between imports and exports is the comparison in the movements between crude oil and its derivatives: while derivatives represent 15% of exports, in imports they represent 78%, which explains the Brazilian characteristic as exporters of products with lower added value and dependence on importing products with higher added value.
Figure 1 – Movement of Oil and its Derivatives in 2017, Long Haul.
Source: ILOS, adapted from ANTAQ.
It is worth checking out the full report, with data comparing other important cargoes in our country, analyzes of Brazilian private and public ports, among other information.
References:
'http://portal.antaq.gov.br/
http://www.vale.com/brasil/pt/aboutvale/news/paginas/uma-historia-crescente-evolucao-s11d-transformara-ponta-madeira-maior-porto-mundo.aspx
Henry Alvarenga
He has been working in consultancy for 7 years, with experience in more than 20 Demand Planning and S&OP projects, Logistics Network Design, Logistics Master Plan, Inventory Policies, Operations Strategy and Market Intelligence
