Santos Brasil foresees increasing operation of containers
Valor Econômico
Santos Brasil, the main container terminal of the port of Santos (SP), will grow at a two-digit rate in 2010 after suffering a 16.2% fall in the volumes of cargo last year. The plan of the company is to have the number of containers carried to total 1.23 million TEUs this year, with growth of 13.4% compared to the nearly 1 million TEUs of 2009. The growth should continue in 2011, says Antonio Carlos Sepúlveda, President of Santos Brasil.
The Executive, who took office in March, says the company is alert to the investment opportunities that may arise from the holding of public biddings of new port areas by the Federal Government. "In containers, we will take part in all procedures", says Sepúlveda. The plan, he says, is to grow in containers by means of acquisitions, new projects to be developed and what he calls "vertical integration" of the logistics chain. It is the rendering of logistics and storage services for the clients. The strategy indicates Santos Brasil is not standing still in spite of the corporate dispute involving the main shareholders of the holding that controls the company, Santos Brasil Participações (SBPar). On one side is the Opportunity group that belongs to Daniel Dantas, and, on the other, Richard Klien's Multi group. The fight is the control of the company.
He says the Board of Directors of Santos Brasil, made up of nine members, three of which are independent, continues to normally evaluate the plans submitted by the directors. This month, SBPar made an announcement confirming the issue of R$ 100 million (US$ 55.6 million) of simple debentures in an operation that had already been approved at prior meetings. The resources are intended to strengthen the cash and make investments in the companies controlled by SBPar.
Sepúlveda believes it is possible to maintain throughout the year the performance registered in the first quarter, when the operation of containers of Santos Brasil grew 13.1% compared to the same period of 2009. He says, from January to March, the company operated less empty containers than in the same quarter of 2009, which means greater earnings for the company. "Imports are increasing and exports are growing as well", he compares.
The data of the Ministry of Development (Mdic) show that from January to the second week of June the exports grew 28.5% on average per day, while the imports increased 44.2%. Another good perspective in Santos, according to Sepúlveda, is that the dredging of the access channel and the estuary will allow larger ships to call at the port, which will reflect productivity gains and lower costs.