Benchmark Study on Port Dues: Rio de Janeiro Port vs Other Brazilian Ports

Challenge

PortosRio, the Port Authority of Rio, established new criteria and pricing for the port dues that compensated for the use of the port's waterway access. This resulted in excessive costs, particularly for general cargo operations, causing financial losses for MultiRio, which operates a container terminal under a leasing landlord agreement. As part of this agreement, the leasing fees already include port dues.  The Client requested that HPC study the new port dues structure implemented by the Port Authority of Rio, compare it to those applied at other ports in Brazil, assess the legitimacy of the criteria used for its calculation, and produce a report with the findings.

Tasks Performed

• Analyzed PortosRio's tariff calculations to substantiate claims of overpricing and unreasonable criteria
• Navigated complex pricing structures and regulatory frameworks, justifying claims through detailed analysis

Benefit

HPC's comprehensive report provided unassailable substantiation for a tariff discount and a revision of the tariff criteria. This resulted in the Port Authority implementing a price reduction, which was duly authorized by ANTAQ. 

The changes led to an estimated annual savings of $450,000 for the Client, demonstrating the effectiveness of HPC's detailed analysis and strategic approach in addressing the challenges.