ABSTRACT
Grain loading facilities world-wide are concentrated within just a few main areas of the world, especially within the USA, Canada, Argentina and Australia. Grain export shipments have increased from the European Community since the early 1980s, generating developments especially at UK and French ports, while Brazil’s potential for vastly increased grains and oilseeds exports in particular has yet to be fully exploited. Export of grain from the ports of the Parana River fall under the conditions imposed within the terms of the Centrocon charter party agreement. Vessels cannot load at a port higher than San Lorenzo and must load at subsequent ports in proper rotation, thus port congestion cannot be avoided by moving down to the next port. Grain transhipment is very much part of the market extension philosophies of three other European import terminals in recent years, the Tagol and Silopor facilities at Lisbon, and the Kordin Grain Terminal in Malta.
