SHIPPING AGENTS AND PORT SERVICES

Foztráfego – Agência Maritima da Figueira, Lda, was founded on 13th December 1973, and started its activity as shipping agent and port operator on the 1st of Abril 1974. The founders were “Companhia Nacional de Navegação” (the greatest Portuguese shipowner at the time) and one local Costum Broker. Now the owners are Portline – Transportes Maritimos Internacionais, SA (the major owner), SeteShipping – Transportes Internacionais, SA and SeteFrete – Tráfego e Cargas, SA. It started with the Capital of 500 thousand Portuguese Escudos (about 2.500 Euros) . Actually the Capital is 250 thousand Euros.

In 1984, due to new legal regulation for shipping agency, Foztráfego began to develop its activity exclusively as Shipping Agent, leaving the activity of port operator to the new company, founded at that time for that purpose, Operfoz – Operadores Portuários da Figueira da Foz, Lda., in which Foztráfego is one of the quota holders with 1/3 of its Capital. In 1994 was also created one hiring labor company, Fozpor – empresa de Trabalho Portuário da Figueira da Foz, ETP, Lda, in which Foztráfego is one of the quota holders with 20% of its capital and in which Operfoz is the main quota holder with 60% of its capital.

Foztráfego, as Shipping Agents, acts not only in Figueira da Foz port, but also in all Portuguese ports through sub-agency and, in the particular case of Aveiro port, through Sana – Sociedade de Agenciamento de Navios, Lda., created by Foztráfego in 1990 in which holds 66,25% of its capital. Now, together with its equity holdings, the company equity ascends to about 2.4 million of euros, it can count on a team of 30 workers highly qualified in logistic and cargo handling, and services invoicing of approximately 9.5 million of euros in 2013.

Foztráfego was directly responsible for 25% of all cargo movement in Figueira da Foz port during 2013, that was, in total, about 2.130 thousand tons (55,5% of total related to exportation and the remain 44,5% related to importation). The participated Operfoz was, in 2013, the main port operator in Figueira da Foz port and Foztrafego was the main Shipping Agent with approximately 60% of all shipping agency work. Figueira da Foz port remains, historically, mainly a “forest” port (62% of all cargo movement in 2013 was related with forest products). The paper industry was responsible in 2013 for 54% of all cargo movement in Figueira da Foz port.

Solid Bulk cargo is still growing and has come to 738 thousand tons in 2013 (421 thousand exported and 317 thousand imported). The 2013 year was important to Figueira da Foz port due to a significant growth of 19,35% in cargo movement and the achievement, for the first time, the aim of 2 million tons of cargo operated.

The railroad extension to Figueira da Foz port, granting the connection with the national and international railroad lines, has been pointed as a plus to the port and generates good expectations for new imported and exported cargos to be operated. This railroad extension may, with the growing of its use and the growing of bulk operations, grant to Foztráfego an opportunity to improve the service provided to the clients and to the region economy. Foztráfego is a Certified company since January 2001 and today with the ISO 9001:2008 standards, focused on a total quality management, has continuous target to improve the quality of the services provided.