Brazil News

Brazil companies mull buying trucks to avoid higher shipping fees

Manufacturers of heavy trucks have been fielding inquiries from Brazilian companies looking into purchasing their own fleets to get around higher mandatory pricing for independent truckers who staged a nationwide strike in May against high fuel costs and low compensation.Volvo AB and the Mercedes-Benz truck unit of Daimler AG have received inquiries from big companies looking into owning and operating their own truck fleets, representatives for the truck makers said.Smaller buyers such as farmers have already begun placing orders…

Brazil May Import U.S. Soybeans due to U.S.-China Trade Spat

Brazil, the world's largest soybean exporter, may have to import the oilseed from the United States this year to satisfy demand from local processors, an executive of exporters association Anec said on Thursday. If China's demand for Brazilian soy rises due to a trade war with the United States, local processors may have to resort to importing 500,000 to 1 million tonnes from the United States, Luis Barbieri told an event in Sao Paulo. China has announced 25 percent tariffs on a range of U.S. products scheduled to take effect from July 6.

Southern Ports are Getting with The Program…

The In-transit cold treatment program, that is! The dimensions of The Program are remarkable. The Reefer Shipping Market and Forecast 2017/18 produced by Drewry calculated that 79 percent of perishable cargo moved in refrigerated containers in 2016 and only 21 percent on reefer ships. By 2021, reefer containers will carry 85 percent of perishable products, while reefer cargo will reach 134 million tons, Drewry study predicts. One reason for the growth of reefer cargo in containers is the remarkable expansion of the USDA sponsored In-Transit Cold Treatment Pilot program.

COFCO Says Brazil Needs More Logistics Investments

Brazil could compete better in global agriculture markets if it increased infrastructure investment and diversified its transport network, an executive at COFCO International, the Chinese commodities trader, said on Monday.Eduardo Gradiz Filho, head of grains and oilseeds for COFCO in the country, said at an agribusiness conference that Brazil's port infrastructure is adequate but the country still relies too much on trucks to ship farm products, which is inefficient.Solving what he called "logistical bottlenecks" is Brazil's greatest challenge over the next few years to leverage its competiti

Peak Pegasus Finally Unloads US Soybeans in China

A vessel carrying U.S. soybeans was unloading its cargo worth at least $23 million at the Chinese port of Dalian on Monday, becoming one of the first shipments to incur hefty new import duties as the trade row deepens between Beijing and Washington.The docking of the vessel after five weeks anchored off China's coast ended long-running speculation over the fate of the cargo, which had captured public attention.China's state grains stockpiler Sinograin confirmed in a fax to Reuters it will pay the additional 25 percent import tariff on its 70,000 tonne cargo of the oilseed.

Brazil Police Cracking Down on Cargo Theft

Brazil's federal police sought to arrest some 64 people on Tuesday as part of a cargo theft investigation, police said in a statement, as Latin America's largest economy seeks to gain control over its increasingly insecure highways.The operation, code-named "Transbordo," uncovered a cargo theft scheme involving truck drivers in six Brazilian states, ranging from Ceará in the impoverished Northeast to Sao Paulo in the populous Southeast.

BIMCO: Shipping in the Line of Trade War Crossfire

BIMCO, the world’s largest international shipping association, issued a stern warning today as once again, the already long list of tariffed goods has been made even longer.Many more commodities were hit on 23 August, but September is likely to dwarf it all, as the US has proposed tariffs on goods worth USD 200 billion. According to BIMCO, The tariffed goods’ share of global trade is largely underestimating the overall negative impact of this trade war on globalisation and international shipping.BIMCO’s chief shipping analyst Peter Sand remarked…

Brazil Beef Exports Hit Bottom

A truckers' strike in May that crippled traffic on Brazil's main roads and trade bans on the country's beef caused exports in June to fall to their lowest level for the month in 15 years, consultancy INTL FCStone said.Citing data from the government, the consultancy also said Brazilian exports in June had their worst monthly performance since January 2011.Brazilian beef exports totaled 54,390 tons last month, 45.4% below the same month in 2017. This compared with about 100,000 tons for June last year…

Cudós Tapped to Lead Engineering and Construction for SENER

SENER  appointed Jorge Sendagorta Cudós to be head of the Engineering and Construction area. He was, until now, the country manager of SENER in Mexico. SENER's Engineering and Construction area, which will be managed by Cudós, comprises three Business Units: Infrastructure and Transport; Renewables, Power, Oil & Gas; and Marine. It has branches in Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, South Korea, Chile, China, United Arab Emirates, Spain, USA, Morocco, Mexico, Portugal, UK, and South Africa.Cudós joined SENER in October 2012 in the energy sector.

MISC Bags USD 441mln 16-year Charter Contract from Hess

Malayasia-based MISC Berhad  has secured a long-term charter contract from Hess Exploration and Production Malaysia  for the lease of a floating, storage and offloading facility (FSO) known as FSO Mekar Bergading on a bareboat basis. The long-term charter contract is pursuant to a sale and charter agreement between MISC and HESS in respect of the FSO, which also resulted in MISC acquiring ownership of the FSO. The investment is consistent with the MISC2020 strategy of which one…

Solstad Farstad Bags Contract with Fairfield Industries

Solstad Farstad ASA (SOFF) has entered into a contract with Fairfield Industries Inc. for the CSV “Normand Tonjer”. The contract will commence in 3Q 2018 and has a duration of one year firm plus two yearly options.Fairfield will use the vessel to support their innovative worldwide ocean bottom seismic survey using node-based technology.Solstad Farstad has updated other contracts too. The key contracts in the subsea construction segment include Far Saga contract extension with Petrobras until 2Q’20…

Container Overbooking Causing Delays for Brazil Exports -Maersk

Brazilian exporters are facing delays shipping goods transported in containers, including coffee and cotton, due to overbooking, the world's largest container shipping company, A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, said on Monday.In a report on its operations in Brazil, Maersk said exports fell for the second quarter in a row, citing the practice of some exporters reserving more space in ships than they need, leaving other companies failing to find room for their cargo."Exporters are hurting each other when they book space they end up not using…

Brazil Freight Policy Signed into Law

Brazil's President Michel Temer signed into law a bill authorizing the government to set minimum truck freight prices, drawing criticism from farm groups who said the measures would drive up costs for food.According to a decision published in the official gazette on Thursday, Temer only vetoed one provision that would have pardoned truckers from paying fines for their role in staging an 11-day strike in May. The stoppage crippled Brazil's roads, hampering deliveries of everything from fuel to grains.The new law requires truck freight prices to be equal to…

Maersk: India Recording a 14% Upturn

India´s containerized trade with the BRICS´ nations trademarks a rise of 14 percent. Export trade from India to Brazil, China, Russia and South Africa in Q1 2018 increased 7,5 percent YOY from same period last year. South Africa turned to be Indian´s top trade partner.BRICS EXIM trade registers steady growth of 1.5 percent in Q1 2018 compared to Q1 2017. “Last year, the BRICS´ joint contribution to the world economy was 23.6 percent, and according to the International Monetary Fund’s predictions this is set to rise to 26.8 percent by 2022.

Port of Rotterdam Pact for Brazil's Pecém Port

As shareholders in the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the Municipality of Rotterdam and the Ministry of Finance have approved the participation in the Port of Pecém, a rapidly growing port in Northeast Brazil.The participation involves an investment of some 75 million euros and, in addition to holding 30% of the shares, the Port of Rotterdam Authority will have joint control of strategic decisions and positions at Executive Board, Supervisory Board and management level.The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Ceará State are expected to sign the decision next month…

Brazil Transport Agency to Revise Govt-set Freight Prices

National transport agency ANTT will revise Brazil's minimum truck freight prices, the regulator said in a statement late on Saturday, without providing details or a time-frame for an announcement of new government-set values.ANTT said on its website it would "promote the necessary adjustments" after "variations in the price of diesel fuel."On Friday, state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA lifted diesel prices by 13 percent at the refinery gate after oil regulator ANP disclosed…

Port Management and Efficiency Training in France

High-level officials and decision-makers from maritime and port authorities around the world are undergoing intense training in port management and operational efficiency at the annual Advanced Course on Port Operations and Management based in Le Havre, France (10 September to 12 October).The opening of the course coincided with Le Havre's celebration of World Maritime Day and its theme: International Maritime Organization (IMO) 70 Our heritage – better shipping for a better future.IMO's Chris Trelawny delivered the opening address and lectured on the role of IMO…

Brazil's Prumo to Start Building Power Plant at Port of Acu

Brazilian infrastructure company Prumo Logistica SA said on Monday that the company will begin construction of its second thermoelectric plant at the Port of Acu in Rio de Janeiro state in 2019.Prumo Chief Executive Jose Magela Bernardes told reporters that the company is also considering bidding for a third contract to build a thermoelectric plant at the port in a government auction scheduled for August.Reporting by Marta Nogueira Writing by Jake Spring

AET and Shell Sign DPST Contract

Shuttle tanker owner AET, a wholly-owned subsidiary of  Malaysia's MISC Group, has won its first contract with Shell in Brazil to time charter one new-build dynamic positioning shuttle tanker (DPST).AET earlier this year sealed a long-term charter for two newbuild LNG-fuelled Aframax tankers with Shell that is set to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.AET President & CEO Capt. Rajalingam Subramaniam said: “Shell has chosen to use our shipping services for many years and…

Aker Solutions Wins Services Contract with Petrobras

Petrobras has awarded Aker Solutions a contract to provide maintenance and modifications services for nine platforms at oil and gas fields in the Campos Basin offshore Brazil.The Campos Basin extends approximately 100,000 square kilometers. The three-year contract is valued at more than BRL 250 million and includes an option for a two-year extension.Aker Solutions will be renovating, repairing and upgrading offshore production units for Petrobras' Campos Basin Operational Unit (UO-BC).

Brazil Minimum Freight Rates Hurt Port Cargos -Association Chief

Brazil's policy of setting minimum freight rates is reducing the volume of cargo at Brazilian ports as farmers and agricultural exporters have difficulty arranging transportation at higher cost, according to the head of a Brazilian ports association.The country instituted minimum rates for freight above the previous market rate as part of a deal to end a truckers' strike over high diesel prices in May. The strike paralyzed the country's roadways, preventing agriculture exports…

Stena Bulk Charters Out MR Tanker Pair to Petrobras

Stena Bulk said it has signed a contract with Brazil's state-owned oil company to charter out a pair of MR product tankers for transporting refined products along the Brazilian coast. The two-year deal includes the option to extend the charters for another 11 months.The 47,000 dwt tankers, Stena Conqueror and Stena Conquest, were built in 2003 and 2004 respectively.“We have a long-standing, highly-valued relationship with Petrobras when it comes to both Suezmax and MR tankers and we are committed to continue to provide them with safe and efficient deliveries.

Port of Hamburg Throughput Dips

The Port of Hamburg achieved total throughput of 66.5 million tons in the first half of 2018, representing a moderate downturn of 4.9 percent, with the downward trend slowing in the second quarter.General cargo throughput at 45.5 million tons (down 2.2 percent) and bulk cargo throughput at 21.1 million tons (down 10.4 percent) contributed to the total in Hamburg. Bulk cargo represents one-third of the total. This segment caused 71 percent of the total downturn, with reductions in suction and liquid cargoes being market-driven.

Chinese Steel Mills Chase Iron Ore Contracts with Brazil's Vale

Chinese steel mills and traders are rushing to secure long-term contracts for high-quality iron ore ahead of winter steel output cuts, a boon for the main supplier of such grades of the commodity, Brazilian mining giant Vale.China, the world's biggest consumer of the steelmaking ingredient, needs higher-quality, less polluting grades of iron ore as it battles to clear its notoriously smoggy skies.That demand highlights how China's prolonged war on pollution is shaking global markets for iron ore…

From Desert to Delaware

Gulftainer strives for top six in terminals.Sharjah is a glimmering city-state carved from the desert, the third largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates and the only one to have land on both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. And soon, within weeks, a company based in Sharjah could control one of the most strategically located marine ports in the United States. Gulftainer through its subsidiary GT USA, Wilmington has inked a deal with the State of Delaware, USA, which would grant GT USA…

Klaveness Combination Carriers Seeks Fund for CLEANBU Vessels

Norwegian shipping company Klaveness Combination Carriers AS holds several attractive growth options and is now launching a contemplated private placement of shares with total gross proceeds of approximately USD 45-70 million.The owner and operator of modern combination carriers said that current investors, management and previous CABU investors will subscribe for USD 25 million.Klaveness Combination Carriers AS (KCC), with its nine CABU vessels in operation and five CLEANBU vessels on order, is the leading owner and operator of modern combination carriers.