April 19, 2004

Brazil Solve Soy Transportation Paranagua Port
 

The line of trucks that stretched for some 62 miles (100 kilometers) last week waiting to unload soybeans at Brazil's main grain port of Paranagua has been cleared, police said on Sunday.

The long line had dissipated by Saturday evening after drivers blocked the unloading dock at the port late last week, and the line of soy trucks was backed up for about 62 miles (100 km) on BR-277, the road leading to the port.

"The truckers were assured they would be paid for the extra time they spent waiting in line to (reach) the port," a spokesman for Parana state's port operators union Sindopar said.

Truckers were demanding port operators pay them around 380 reais ($130) for every extra day spent stopped in line at the port after strong rains and technical problems in the unloading system caused the backup to grow last week.

Some truckers said they had been stuck, unable to unload for almost four days. In the past month, There have been several truck backups that have grown to more than 37 miles long (60 km).

"There has been virtually no line since late Saturday," the local highway patrol said on Sunday.

Ships have been loading normally over the past week, except during a strong storm that passed through the region last weekend. Three Panamex ships, the Eastern Queen, Mister Michael and Fen Jin Hai, were loading soy at the port on Sunday.