APM Terminals Itajai Achieves Record In First Year Of Ro-Ro Operations
APM Terminals Itajai Achieves Record In First Year Of Ro-Ro Operations
APM Terminals Itajaí, Brazil discharged more 31,000 vehicles to celebrate its first year of Roll-on Roll-off operations. By unloading 961 vehicles from the American Highway Ship on the 7th of September, the APM made a productivity record.
Traditionally, the container operations were used but then in March 2018, the Ro-Ro cargo came up. After the identification that many of the facilities, skills, and experience from container operations were transferable, the possibility of diversification of their portfolio was seized. Before further transportation of the vehicles that are taken out of the ships, they are taken to a special area in the terminal where they are inspected.
“After four months of negotiation and tests, the terminal proved that its operational excellence could be transferred to Ro-Ro operations,” says Fernando Klein, Operations Manager at APM Terminals Itajai. “With 100% efficiency and total safety, the terminal demonstrated that it could achieve levels of productivity similar to experienced terminals already operating in this segment.”
After these successful trials, a contract was signed by APM Terminals Itajaí in 2018 with General Motors that is a global automobile company for importing vehicles from Argentina, México and the United States. “With the experience gained over the last year, our process of continuous improvement, and outstanding levels of efficiency, safety and damage control, we plan to approach other automotive manufacturers,” explains Diego Gelain, Sales Executive at APM Terminals Itajai. “Combined with our agile operation and focus on customer care, we have a very competitive Ro-Ro operation.”
The APM Terminal that is located in the Port of Itajai is the second-largest container port of Brazil. It is meant to supply mainly to the South and Southeast of the country that had it’s the largest concentration of consumer markets. Vehicle cargo operations that offer Ro-Ro operations will also be brought back to the Port by APM Terminals.
Reference: APM Terminal
