The new dynamics in export routes within the national port sector worry the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq). Since May/22, the agency confirmed the accumulation of ships with cargo in national ports and warned about the current scenario at the Port of Santos, which is being the main target in changes to export routes due to its efficient infrastructure.

The information comes from the director of Antaq, Flávia Takafashi, who explained that delays in shipping routes for exports in Brazil are currently the biggest problem for the international movement of goods by sea within the country. Flávia also highlighted that the situation directly reflects the cancellation of operations, route changes and a series of delays in export operations. As a result, the current situation of Brazilian ports has the agency concerned about its ability to meet this demand. An important point in the current cargo transportation scenario highlighted by Flávia is the significant increase in size omissions within ports. This was a way to solve logistical problems, but it ended up overcrowding the ships awaiting these tenders without a scheduled completion date. As a result, several ports with high cargo capacity were affected, the main one being the Port of Santos.

The port of Santos is one of the largest in Brazil in terms of handling capacity and, as export routes change, many ships end up going to the complex to avoid the situation. Then, Flavia said: “Today, when it comes to Santos, we can say that it has also been affected by the increase in the number of omissions and delays [of ships]. But the port complex as a whole, not specific terminals, tends to receive a large volume, with fewer options left out.”

Finally, the head of Antaq said that the agency is accumulating the necessary data to act on the major problems in the country’s port sector and that measures will soon be taken against bottlenecks in exports.