Newly built in the Maranhão terminal, Pier 99 will be dedicated to the movement of commodities, mainly wood pulp
Wilson Sons was responsible for the agency of the vessel Pelican Arrow, owned by G2 Ocean, which carried out the first full load operation at Pier 99, recently opened in the Port of Itaqui (MA). In total, 59,002 tons of wood pulp were shipped, of which 28,172 tons were destined to the Port of La Pallice, in France, and 30,830 tons to the Port of Flushing, in the Netherlands. The vessel departed this Thursday (24/2) for Flushing, with an estimated arrival date of March 9th.
Two other ships have recently berthed at Pier 99 but have only operated part of the cargo. The operation with the Pelican Arrow lasted six days, and the Wilson Sons shipping division coordinated the work with the terminal, operator, and shipper.
“As berth 99 is still in the commissioning and approval phase, there are restrictions to be considered for this operation, such as coordination with pilotage and other stakeholders to carry out manoeuvers only during the day, seeking to maintain productivity combined with safety”, highlights André Nogueira, coordinator of Agency Operations in São Luís.
Nogueira explains that the Agency is also responsible for managing the export documentation of the cargo with the customs broker and shipper, for communicating with regulatory agencies and for the services that are required by the crew and the ship.
The new pier was built by Suzano, the largest producer of eucalyptus pulp in the country, which exported over 1.6 million tons in 2021. The company also invested in the construction of a new warehouse which more than doubled the cargo storage capacity.
“In addition to exporting pulp, Pier 99 is also an alternative for the operation of other commodities, such as wheat and fertilizers, and will contribute to reducing the waiting time of the ships", highlights Iully Matos, maritime agent for São Luís branch of the Wilson Sons Shipping Agency.
The Northern Arc, the area where Itaqui terminal is located, currently has great potential for the movement of commodities, especially after the conclusion of the BR-163, which connects the South to the North of the country. According to data from the National Water Transport Agency (Antaq), the ports in the region grew by more than 25% from 2016 to 2021.
The shipping agency division was Wilson Sons first business, with more than 180 years of experience. Today it is the largest independent agency in the country, present in the main Brazilian ports through 18 own branches. It serves vessels in the most diverse segments, such as ore, coal, steel, sugar, grains, fertilizers, liquids, offshore and passenger ships.