São Paulo – The Port of Santos recorded a throughput of 8.94 million tonnes of cargo in May, a 20% increase over April. It was the best result since September of last year, when the throughput reached 8.3 million tonnes.
From January until May, the throughput rose by 17.1% compared with the same period of last year and totalled 36.54 million tonnes, according to data disclosed today (23rd) by the São Paulo State Port Authority (Codesp), which manages the terminal. The number of vessels docked in May increased by 1.9%, whereas from January to May there was a 2.8% decline.
According to the Codesp, compared with 2009 figures, the performance in May this year represented growth of 6.5% in exports from Brazil, and 66.9% in imports. From January to May, exports grew by 5.6% and imports increased by 50.2%. The data also show that the volume of cargo shipped in containers rose by nearly 30% in May, and by 16.6% from January to May.
Sugar, the main cargo shipped at the Port of Santos, totalled 2 million tonnes in May and 5.87 million tonnes so far this year, a figure 7.7% higher than recorded in the same period of 2009. Soy grain, oil and chaff totalled 1.6 million tonne shipped in May, and 7 million tonnes from January until May (growth of 12.3%).
The data also show that foreign shipments of mineral coal, the main export product, increased by 868.5% over May 2009 and by 50.9% so far this year. The second main cargo shipped, sulphur, posted growth of 53.8% in May, according to data supplied by the Codesp.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
