São Paulo – Rio Grande Port, in Rio Grande do Sul, had the highest throughput this year in May. The volume of cargo loaded and unloaded in the month was 3.14 million tonnes, which represented growth of 23% over the same period last year. The cargo loaded on vessels totalled 2.35 million tonnes, an increase of 33%, and cargo arriving reached 788,400, 0.7% more than in May 2008.
According to figures disclosed by a spokesperson for the port, this was the second highest throughput in the history of the port, second only to July 2007, when the movement totalled 3.16 million tonnes.
In May, there was expansion of cargo throughput in all sectors. In liquid bulk, the throughput was 391,100 tonnes, growth of 36.2%, followed by solid bulk, with 2.15 million, growth of 23.9%, followed by cargo in general, with 598,250 tonnes, 13.6% more than in May last year.
Shipment of agricultural bulk also reached the highest monthly throughput this year, at 1.66 million tonnes. Soy in grain was the product most shipped, with 1.3 million tonnes, which presented growth of 54.9% over May 2008; in second place came wheat, with 93,860 tonnes, presenting the greatest growth, 197.6%. Other products that also grew were rice (+38.3%) and soy oil (+147.8%). In the case of soy chaff, there was a reduction of 28.4%.
The largest throughput in terms of products arriving at the port was also for agricultural bulk, which posted growth of 32% and 156,490 tonnes. The largest volume of products arriving was soy, with 94,490 tonnes, an increase of 38.8%. Rice and wheat, which had not been shipped in through the port in May last year, had a good performance, with 6,450 tonnes and 23,250 tonnes, respectively.
The container throughput in May, when compared to the same period in 2008, also posted growth, rising 23.2%, reaching the highest monthly volume for the year for this kind of cargo, with 54,630 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units).
*Translated by Mark Ament
