Maestra increases coastal shipping operation
Valor Econômico
Maestra Logística, domestic navigation company (coastal shipping) of the Triunfo Participações group, is about to inaugurate the operation of the first of its two vessels of national flag and it already announces the chartering of two other vessels in the external market. The goal is to have the four-ship fleet complete within 60 days and be big in the promising national market of sea transportation of containers, currently controlled by three rivals. "We do not want to be just container carriers. Our goal is to be a logistics provider, combining the modals to better cater to the customer", says the President of Maestra, Fernando Real, with the experience of someone who came from the road sector. Since Triunfo is a publicly held corporation, the Executive makes no projections of operations for this year.
According to a study ordered by the company, of the universe of cargo with a typical coastal shipping profile (distance between origin and destination above 1,500 kilometers and consumer center of up to 200 kilometers from port), more than 60% is on the road, only 14% on ships and the rest is divided between trains and airplanes. "Today there is room for a new coastal shipping company. We have some very interesting projects to attract such cargo to the ship", says Real, highlighting the coastal shipping is considered more eco-efficient and profitable for long distances.
The reform of the ships Maestra Atlântico and Maestra Mediterrâneo consumed nearly R$ 60 million (US$ 37.5 million). The first departed from Rio de Janeiro, where it was being repaired, and it is travelling towards the port of Navegantes (SC), of which the Triunfo group is a shareholder, a condition that will provide obvious synergy to the shipowner, affirms Real. As regards the Maestra Mediterrâneo, it is undergoing reform in Argentina and it should get to Navigantes in the coming days and be operational by the end of this month. Each has nearly 15 more years of useful life, estimates the Executive.
When the four container ships are operating together, the rotation of the service shall be 28 days, with one ship per week calling at the ports of Navegantes, Santos (SP), Salvador (Bahia), Suape (PE) and Manaus (AM). The Maestra Atlântico has capacity for 1,356 TEUs and the Mediterrâneo , for 1,200 TEUs. Both have nearly 200 electric sockets for refrigerated containers (reefers), which store cargo such as fruit and meat. According to Real, the company is negotiating the two other vessels - with similar characteristics - with "four candidates". According to Real, Maestra will only operate in the coastal shipping, with no relation to any group of international navigation. "That will be our special feature, focused on the coastal shipping with no connection to seagoing vessel companies".