Brazilian shipping companies have spare capacity available for more goods on their ships, have credibility in the market and guarantee a weekly schedule on their routes. However, for cabotage to become more profitable and attractive, it is extremely necessary to reduce operational costs in relation to other modes of transport. According to the Brazilian Cabotage Services Association (ABAC), 65% of cargo in the country is transported by truck, while only 17% is transported by cabotage. The government´s goal is to expand this mode of cargo transport to reach a target of 30% by 2025. To achieve this it is necessary to attract new clients, principally small and medium-sized businesses.
According to the National Waterways Transportation Agency (ANTAQ), the general cargo stored in containers grew by 25% in 2012, which represents 5.1% of the total transported. Liquid bulk goods were the most transported (79% of total), followed by loose bulk goods (12.3%) and loose general cargo (3.5%).
In 2012, Maestra Logística carried out weekly routes between Brazil´s main ports, transporting 40,810 TEUs. Over this period, average effective tariffs fell from R$3,900 to R$3,170 per TEU. The net operating revenue of the company showed positive results and expectations are even more positive for 2013, considering that increasing diesel prices will have an impact on the cost matrix of the highway transport sector, favoring cabotage as an alternative.
In relation to safety and security, the company showed very positive results in 2012. The rate of accidents was practically zero, with only one incident involving third-party freight. This result reaffirms the high level of security provided by ship transport, due to the fact that theft of cargo is almost non-existent.
The cabotage mode of cargo transport is not only attractive economically and for its security. Cabotage is also far more efficient as regards the question of emissions per kilometer transported. While transport emissions for cabotage reach only 13.5g of CO2/km, railway transport emits 39.6g of CO2/km and road transport 57.1g CO2/km.
So as to minimize still further the environmental impact of its activities, Maestra is looking into the use of wooden floors made from bamboo from reforestation projects in its future containers and renovating its fleet with ships equipped with more efficient motors, with lower fuel and energy consumption demands.
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