The TCGL – Leixões General and Bulk Cargo Terminal, operated under concession by the ETE Group, broke its record for cargo handled in 2022, reaching 4 million tonnes – an increase of 6 per cent on 2021.
Attentive to its customers’ needs and always focused on delivering bespoke solutions, TCGL saw exponential growth in its activity in 2022, particularly in the handling of solid bulk cargo, with a 12 per cent increase compared to 2021, notably an 11 per cent rise in imports and a 20 per cent rise in exports. With regard to general cargo handling, import volumes were on a par with exports; however, in terms of the cargo mix, imports reached record levels compared to 2021, growing by 5 per cent.
TCGL attributes this result to the handling of various new types of cargo and a significant shift in the cargo mix.
TCGL expects to maintain this pace of growth, having recently invested in new port equipment and increased its storage capacity, enabling it to continue to boost its cargo handling capacity at the terminal. Of particular note is the acquisition of two state-of-the-art Liebherr LHM 420 vertical cranes, one of which can operate entirely on electric power, a factor that will also contribute to the sustainability of its operations at the Port of Leixões.
According to TCGL’s management, these investments are essential to ensuring an increasingly efficient operational response. The company also emphasises that 2022 was a year that posed challenges for logistics operations on a global scale, with economic issues affecting most European and global ports. These factors presented TCGL with many challenges, forcing it to reinvent itself in the solutions it offers to customers, with an increasing focus on integrated logistics solutions. Adapting to new types of cargo – in addition to traditional general cargo and dry bulk – and to their handling within the terminal is also a key focus for the company.