AGUNSA: Concessions and Logistics Lead Development Plans

Company managed to replace lost cargo volumes after selling CCNI to Hamburg Süd

Over a year ago, Compañía Chilena de Navegación Interoceánica (CCNI) completed the sale of its container business to the German Hamburg Süd. As a consequence, Agencias Universales (Agunsa) lost one of its most important customers.
This caused the company to intensify the search for new business, although that process had already begun in consideration that only a third part of the company’s operations corresponds to maritime representation.

Not only because of the sale of CCNI container business area, Agunsafor many years has been expanding its service coverage in Chile and in other countries, and I would say we have also increased new representations, “said the general manager of the company, Luis Mancilla, after the regular meeting of shareholders of the entity.

Among the new projects he highlighted a concession project at the airport in Santiago to 20 years with offices and warehouses for the Courier service and general cargo. “We will participate as operators and also have interest in a logistics center for dangerous cargo, as there is a new regulation that stipulates higher safety standards for handling this type of cargo ” said the executive, adding that this will be one of the most important logistics centerin Santiago.
“We are also in other projects that provides services to the automotive industry, always in the scope of logistics and adding value,” he said.

Shipping business

Concerning maritime representations and despite the space left by the CCNI was filled, the manager said that this business area still has not had the expected results, especially because of the crisis in the shipping sector.
“I think if we consider the number of containers could say that maybe we have them completely replaced. The issue is that obviously the market situation of the shipping business is difficult, with historically very low freight rates,” said Mancilla , adding that it is one of the most largest crises in this category.
“As much as we obtained good performances and we are very well prepared and with volumes representing similar to those of CCNI, salary figures are quite low but that is because of a crisis in the industry. In other words, even if we had had CCNI the situation would not have been very different, “he said.
As for the impact that may arise from the implementation of the Panama Canal expansion project, the ombudsman said that “concerning this part of the world I don´t think it will change too much because the maritime services that will occupy Channel should be the same, but those covering the northern hemisphere will surely have a great impact. ”

“Back to a reasonable balance”

Agunsa CEO warns that given the changes that are taking place in the shipping industry is feasible to think that in not too much time industry results will start to improve. “The market is taking a whole service reshuffle, some shipping lines are merging, some acquisitions, therefore, I believe that sooner than later this should return to a reasonable balance.”

Source: Diario El Mercurio de Valparaiso, April 30 th 2016