A number of leading shipping lines have been reportedly left seeking alternative ports of call following last week’s devastating floods in southern Brazil, which severely damaged the port of Itajai.
According to Lloyd’s List, three of the port’s four principal quays were damaged by floodwaters after the River Itajai-Açu burst its banks following heavy rains.
APM Terminals, which owns Itajai’s largest container terminal, Teconvi, told the publication that their facility at Pier Number One was closed for operations and the damage would take between four to six months to repair.
With two of the other quays also having suffered major damage, port authorities are now reportedly considering opening the only unaffected facility, Pier Number Four, for existing customers.
The port of Itajai, which is located in the southern state of Santa Catarina, is the second-most important port in Brazil, handling more than US$10bn of goods each year.
