Porto Ponta do Félix transports wheat along the Brazilian coast

Porto Ponta do Félix, located in Antonina, on the coast of Paraná, completed an unprecedented operation: its first cabotage navigation for the shipment of wheat transport. The cereal -- produced in Paraná and sold by Coamo -- is destined for mills in Ceará. In total, 15 thousand tons of product were shipped.

Cabotage is a type of maritime transport that takes place along the coast, from one port to another within the country itself.

According to the president of Porto Ponta do Félix, Gilberto Birkhan, the operation opens up space for an increase in the movement of grains and cereals through the terminal. “Cabotage navigation is still little explored in Brazil, and is a way of moving the wealth produced by agribusiness through maritime transport. This is a great option when the distance between origin and destination exceeds 1500 kilometers”, explains Birkhan.

cabotage navigation

Until last year, the modality was only carried out by Brazilian-flagged ships. The Cabotage Law overturned this requirement and progressively allowed the use of foreign ships in the country. “The new rules should stimulate navigation on the Brazilian coast, increasing the supply of vessels and reducing costs in the sector”, highlights Birkhan.

To carry out the operation, Porto Ponta do Félix has authorization, issued by the federal government, to operate goods in cabotage traffic.

This year, Porto Ponta do Félix expects to increase cargo movement by 65%. The terminal is multipurpose, with the capacity to move and store different types of cargo, such as fertilizers, bagged sugar, salt, malt, wheat, wood pellets and food. "We invest more and more in the customization of the service, to meet customer demand and thus also increase the diversity of items handled", says the president of Porto Ponta do Félix, Gilberto Birkhan.

new investments

Over the next few months, Porto Ponta do Félix will also have new warehouses, which will enable an 85% increase in storage capacity, from 280 thousand tons to 520 thousand tons, gradually.

“The increase in static capacity opens up markets in new segments. We also have in the operations schedule, for example, in addition to wheat cabotage, the import of soda ash, which is a sodium-based product used by the industry for food production”, highlights Birkhan.

At the beginning of the year, the Port also completed investments in new maritime defenses, equipment that provides greater security when ships dock. Fenders serve to cushion the impact resulting from the encounter between a ship and the berthing structure, reducing the risk of damage.

“We prioritize safety and, with regard to vessels, it cannot be any different. The improvements should attract even more ships to Antonina, as it strictly follows the standards of safe port facilities worldwide”, concludes Birkhan.

Porto Ponta do Felix

Porto Ponta do Félix is ​​a private company, concessionaire of the public multipurpose port terminal of Antonina -- founded in 1995.

The concession was granted through a lease agreement granted by the Administration of the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina - APPA.

In 2000, the docking pier was opened and exports of refrigerated products, forestry products and steel began.

In 2009, FTS Par took over the management of Porto Ponta do Félix and began a new phase in the guidelines of the Port Terminal's lease contract, focused mainly on converting the terminal's vocation, previously predominantly refrigerated cargo, to general and bulk cargo. .