Acquired last year and set to begin operations in 2024, the new portainer—a rail-mounted crane that transfers containers between ships and the dock—at Porto Itapoá has already boosted productivity by 15%.
However, the portainer doesn’t function in isolation. Each one relies on a range of supporting equipment and personnel, collectively known in the port industry as a “terno.”
The seventh terno at Porto Itapoá became fully operational in August, delivering significant results, according to Sergni Pessoa Rosa Jr., the terminal’s Director of Operations, Technology, and Environment. “In August, the average movements per hour (MPH) for ship operations reached 94, which is considered excellent in the industry,” he stated.
MPH is a crucial efficiency metric for port terminals, with its main benefit being the reduction of ship turnaround times, which enhances overall port productivity.
“We even reached 197 MPH at some points during the month, which shows there is still room for improvement. The positive result at the dock reflects across the entire operation, improving performance for everyone involved,” mentoned the director.
This seventh portainer features a 70-meter boom capable of servicing vessels up to 65 meters wide. The terminal also operates six other portainers, four of which have 55-meter booms, and two with 65-meter booms.
Porto Itapoá will be the first port terminal in South America to deploy Remote-Controlled Gantry Cranes (RTGs). The acquisition of ten of these cranes—representing an investment of more than US$25 million—will further improve the terminal’s operational efficiency.
Additionally, the port has added a fleet of 20 new electric trucks for internal operations. These Terminal Tractors (TTs), used for moving containers within the terminal, were acquired for US$3.6 million. As part of the port’s expansion, this purchase makes Porto Itapoá the Brazilian port terminal with the largest fleet of electric TTs.
