Tecon Suape, SA (TSSA), a subsidiary of Philippine-based International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI), has begun operating at the 600,000 TEU Port of Suape.

TSSA unloaded 84 containers and loaded 214 containers on Hamburg Sud's MV CAP San Nicolas, using two Krupp quay cranes, two Paceco rubber-tyred gantries, three Fantuzzi Reggiane reach stackers, a Yale forklift, two Fantuzzi side lifters and two Timer spreaders, the company said.

TSSA was formed last June to manage Suape after ICTSI won a 30-year management contract. USD10 million was spent preparing for operations, and facilities were ready in early January.

Suape is at a junction of long-distance shipping routes on the north-eastern tip of Brazil. The Brazilian Government said container trade had suffered due to low service quality and a lack of reliable container handling equipment.

Forecast long-term Brazilian container traffic growth of six and nine percent for imports and exports respectively, would boost containers from 2.35 million TEUs in 2000 to about 3.5 million TEUs in 2005, a government statement said.