Paperless ports to boost Brazilian throughput

Brazil’s Ports Secretariat (SEP) is to tackle a lack of information, communications problems, non-registered documents and a lack of operational security at its ports.

In collaboration with the Federal Data Processing Service (SERPRO), SEP has put together a new Paperless Ports Program whose aim is to reduce bureaucracy and speed up vessel turnaround times.

The plan is to make ports more competitive at both the national and international level.

In Brazil, the average time a vessel spends import is six days, compared with 7 hours at a German port. The new Paperless Ports Program should reduce waiting times by up to 25%.