Port of Santos makes study agreement for off shore transshipment of soybeans

The Santos Port Authority (APS) signed, last Monday (20), a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese port of Ningbo Zhoushan, for studies on the off shore transfer of soybean cargo already on the coast, a measure that would increase transport efficiency.

The initiative aims to allow “capesize” ships, with a capacity of more than 150 thousand tons, to receive cargo shipped at the Santos pier from smaller ships on the high seas.

The largest bulk carriers that dock in Santos are 80 thousand tons. Off shore transshipment would reduce freight and also increase the speed of the operation, as ships could return faster to receive new cargo.

The agreement between Santos and Ningbo provides for studies to implement this shipping model, through a bilateral information exchange working group.

Ningbo Zhoushan is the largest port in the world by cargo tonnage, with annual handling exceeding 1.4 billion tons per year.