PARANÁ, BRAZIL — In the past year, the Port Administration of Paranaguá and Antonina (APPA) have begun operating three new shiploaders to speed up the loading of ships at the port of Paranaguá in Brazil. The third shiploader began operations on Oct. 20. The goal is to have four shiploaders in operation. 

The investment in the acquisition of the four new shiploaders was R$59 million ($15 million), made with APPA’s own resources. Two of the shiploaders started operation in March. The third was being assembled and going through the testing phase; itwent into operation in the cradle of 214 export corridor.

"The new equipment represents increased productivity and wealth,” said Cida Borghetti, deputy governor of Paraná.
She said that investments strengthen the Port of Paranaguá.

"Studies show that modernization made over the past four years makes a difference and puts the terminal in Paraná as one of the most important in South America and the first in the country in the export of grain," said Beto Richa, governor of Paraná.

The new shiploaders can operate at a speed of 2,000 tonnes per hour. They will increase the export corridor capacity by 33% and enlarge the loading capacity for the next grain crop.

In addition to being faster, the new shiploaders can load larger ships, since they have a longer throw.  Each spear is 36 meters long.

"This provides a wider bandwidth to load ships, allowing large vessels to dock in Paranagua," said Luiz Henrique, president of the APPA. "The spears of the shiploaders are also higher than those of the old chargers, making it possible for larger ships to dock without any restrictions."

The new shiploaders are environmentally friendly; therefore they possess a dust collection system that reduces the emission of particles in the air during ship loading.

The equipment also has its own generator, enabling the collection of throws to move on the tracks in case of power outage.

"We will reduce the time of shipment and the shipping cost," said Henrique.

In the last four years, the Paraná government has invested R$939 million ($238 million), and this year, the Port of Paranaguá hit record highs of productivity. In June 2015, the unit of Paranaguá exported 1.92 million tonnes of grain.That matches the largest-ever volume moved in a month since May of 2011, when 1.81 million tonnes were exported.