A new warehouse and a last-mile transport service starts in Porto Itapoá (Brazil), offering customers increased flexibility and efficiency and lower operating costs.
The above actions are part of an ongoing investment in the terminal, which will also increase capacity from 1.2 million TEU to 2 million TEU once completed in 2023. The US$144 million (R$750 million) expansion plan at Porto Itapoá will also increase the yard from 250,000 m² to 455,000 m².
“The new 2,000 m2 warehouse for general cargo is strategically located in the port, which makes the ‘unloading’ of the container and its return to the shipowner more practical and faster,” explained Roberto Pandolfo, customer experience business director at Porto Itapoá.
“This is particularly important as free-time – the length of time, a container can be stored free of charge at the port – has reduced considerably since the beginning of the pandemic to help reduce congestion. It can also help customers reduce or completely remove demurrage charges – a penalty paid by customers for using a container beyond the contracted term,” he said.
The storage facility offers additional flexibility for companies that are close to reaching their maximum stocking capacity.
“As operational procedures also fall under our responsibility, the customer has much less administration and more convenience,” added Pandolfo.
Porto Itapoá already offered fractional cargo operations (LCL – Less than container load), but this is now supported by the new fractional cargo transport service (LTL – Less-than-truckload) which reduces logistics complexity and adds flexibility for customers.
Deliveries are made within a radius of 160 km and 260 km from Porto Itapoá.
“In this way, we speed up a step in the customer’s logistics chain, reduce complexity and guarantee delivery,” explains Pandolfo.
