Shiploader Accident at Sugar Terminal in Brazilian Port

A shiploader malfunction at the sugar terminal in Recife port in Northeastern Brazil has halted loading operations, as reported by shipping company Williams Brazil on Thursday evening.

The company detailed that the shiploader unexpectedly collapsed, and a component of the machinery fell into the cargo hold of a vessel that was stationed at the port to load raw sugar.

The port's press service confirmed the incident but noted that there were no injuries.

Currently, the port is assessing the damage, and there is no established timeline for when repairs will be completed. The affected shiploader was the sole apparatus at the terminal, which is operated by Sindacucar, a sugar industry association.

While Recife is not a primary commodities hub in Brazil, it is active in shipping sugar during certain months.

According to port line-up data, three ships are queued to load a combined total of 71,000 metric tons of raw sugar destined for Louis Dreyfus, Tate & Lyle, and ASR, with the sugar headed to the United States and Portugal.

The port is exploring solutions to continue loading the vessel currently at berth and to find alternative methods for loading additional ships.