TecPlata S.A., International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) business unit operating at the Port of La Plata, Argentina, and the Port of Sta. Fe have launched a barge feeder service, creating a new and direct link to Brazil and Asia, according to ICTSI's release.
Launched on December 9, the service will have a minimum of two calls per month between Sta. Fe and La Plata that will provide superior connectivity for a market estimated at 80,000 TEUs. It also serves as an alternative river connection to Argentina’s central, northeast and northwest regions.
From the Port of Sta. Fe, the first export containers were loaded onto Newport Management’s 500-TEU barge, Bagual.
Insuga S.A. and Adecoagro S.A. were the first companies to use the new service to export bone meal to Vietnam and milk powder to Singapore, respectively. The cargoes were discharged in TecPlata on December 13 and were loaded onto the Log-In vessel Jacarandá on December 15.
The Bagual departed from TecPlata on November 30, carrying empty containers to be used for the first exports.
Aside from providing a lower inland cost alternative, the exclusive feeder service also contributes significantly to the reduction of carbon emissions between Greater Buenos Aires and the country’s hinterland.
ABOUT TECPLATA S.A.
In October 2008, TecPlata S.A. was granted a 30-year concession to build and operate an all-purpose port terminal in the greater Buenos Aires area in Argentina by the Consorcio de Gestion del Puerto La Plata. Built with an investment of US$450 million, TecPlata is Argentina’s most modern container terminal with an initial capacity of 450,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) capacity, and capable of being extended of up to 1 million TEUs in the second phase.
ABOUT ICTSI
Headquartered and established in 1988 in Manila, Philippines, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. is in the business of port development, management and operations. ICTSI’s portfolio of terminals and projects are located in developed and emerging market economies in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Independent with no shipping or consignee-related interests, ICTSI works and transacts transparently with all stakeholders of the supply chain. ICTSI continues to receive global acclaim for its public-private partnerships, which are focused on sustainable development, and supported by corporate social responsibility initiatives.