Automating and decarbonizing: the new era of maritime trade

TOC Americas brought together, since Tuesday, representatives from various companies in the global supply chain sector in Panama (Disclosure)

TOC Americas concluded yesterday after three days of discussions about transformations in international trade, particularly in the container sector, regarding rethinking business models, reconfiguring trade routes, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The event gathered representatives from diverse companies in the global supply chain sector at the Panama Convention Center since last Tuesday.

Grupo Tribuna was represented at the meeting by Maxwell Rodrigues, consultant for port affairs.

Huib Schot, sales manager at Stinis Lifting Equipment, a Dutch company that manufactures and maintains container handling machinery, states that to achieve greater productivity, it is essential to “invest in automation”. “Terminals tend to grow, but space is limited”, he noted, having participated in the event.

Additionally, Schot emphasizes that interaction with users is essential. “We always seek to meet the specific needs of each terminal at the ports. The lines are different, and we try to adopt the specific product for each terminal”.

The executive believes Brazil could host TOC Americas to discuss the sector in depth. “It’s an opportunity for the country. We saw how the event organized by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) (held in Santos in 2022) went. It was one of the best I’ve ever seen, not only in terms of service but also due to the quality of the visitors. ”

Environment Andres Ramirez is the Sales Manager for Latin America at Konecranes, a company that supplies forklifts. He highlights that decarbonization is a very important topic for the entire production sector.

“Our company is doing its part; internally we are reducing environmental impact to the minimum possible, and also through our products. End users are looking for electrified equipment, and we believe this could be a path.”

However, Ramirez emphasizes that implementation must be gradual, as it requires investment in infrastructure and planning. “It’s necessary to invest in infrastructure to bring this energy to the port, to the equipment, and to operations. We use equipment with lower combustion and consumption until we reach electrification.”

The executive also points out that the electrification process requires skilled labor. “It’s a paradigm shift. Operators need to understand that adaptation to the process is necessary.”

He comments that, “compared to other ports around the world, Brazil still needs to prepare more. There are companies that are at the forefront, seeking to be the benchmark, but government support is also necessary.”

Participation Meanwhile, economist and A Tribuna columnist Roberto Paveck, who participated in a panel in Panama, noted that Brazilian companies were in the minority at the event. “I see Chinese and European companies promoting their products, but I miss Brazilian companies positioning themselves in this market, strategically placing themselves with greater visibility. It’s a moment of reflection to change this scenario. ”

Regarding digital evolution, another topic discussed during TOC Americas, Paveck states that “digital transformation is the result of transforming people. It’s time to rethink the port market”, he concluded.