A Feasibility Study for the Introduction of a Container Feeder Service between Manaus (AM) and Santana (AP)

As in every economic activity, alternatives are always sought to optimize the process in which this activity is involved, either by reducing costs or maximizing profits, this study aimed to evaluate the alternative of transporting containers in the Amazon basin through the implementation of a feeder system that carries out the river stretch between Santana (AP) and Manaus (AM) with dedicated ships.

Currently, several cabotage and deep-sea trades serve Manaus, but larger ocean-going vessels can face difficulties, either because of the low manoeuvrability of these ships or because of the draught which, due to climate change, tends to be increasingly frequent and severe, restricting access for larger vessels.

To carry out the analysis, the cost per TEU of a representative container cabotage route that serves the Brazilian coast from Itajaí to Manaus was estimated and compared with a proposed new system, replacing the river stretch with the feeder service.

The results show that, due to economy of scale effect, it is possible to operate in these new services by increasing the capacity of the vessels carrying out the cabotage service.