Log-In strengthens operations in ports and inland terminals
Valor Econômico
Port and inland terminals, used to receive and store cargo that may be later carried by trucks, trains and ships, tend to gain more room in the businesses of Log-In Logística Intermodal. The company is studying investing nearly R$ 200 million (US$ 117.7 million) to build a port in Manaus (AM) and it is spending R$ 118 million (US$ 69.4 million) to enlarge the land terminals it has in Camaçari (BA) and in Paulínia (SP), besides the Port Terminal of Vila Velha (TVV), in Espírito Santo. Log-In, whose main shareholder is Vale, also plans operating a new distribution center in Santa Catarina.
The growth of the area of terminals of Log-in is in agreement to the model of carrying out the "door-to-door" transport for its customers. In accordance with such concept, having own terminals, including in ports, is important to assure the regularity and efficiency in the navigation services. It is from the coastal navigation, on the Brazilian coast, that Log-In makes most of its earnings. It is also in that activity that it has approved its greatest investment plan - R$ 1 billion (US$ 588.2 million), for the construction of seven vessels, five of which are for the transportation of containers. The two other are carriers dedicated to bauxite.
Vital Jorge Lopes, President of Log-In, said that, while developing logistics solutions, the company wants to be, as its very name indicates, an intermodal logistics company, not only a shipping company. That business, in the second quarter was responsible for nearly 70% of the earnings. The TVV operations, only port facility of its own to carry containers, represented 23% of the operations. Logistics services, including railway operations, represented 8.3%.
The TVV is going through improvements with a total investment of R$ 65 million (US$ 38.2 million). In Bahia, the Camaçari Terminal (Tercam) receives investments of R$ 22 million (US$ 12.9 million). And the plan is to invest R$ 21 million (US$ 12.4 million) in Paulínia. The participation of the area of terminals in the income of Log-In tends to grow if the company succeeds in the building of new terminals.