The Rationalization of Port Logistics Activities: A Study at Port of Santos (Brazil)

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the port logistics activities at the port of Santos (Brazil). The study follows a qualitative approach and it is based on in-depth interviews with some key actors from Santos port logistics chain. Based on these interviews, the main dysfunctions and improvement opportunities associated to the container port logistics processes at Santos were identified. The results show that the main dysfunctions are related to the existing information flows. Due to this, a new information flow related to the studied port is proposed and some probable results of the implementation are identified. The findings contribute both to the studied port and to the academic community, as the number of studies addressing port logistics activities is still limited.