ADM Plans Expansion of Argentine Port Facility

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has announced that the group will be making a significant investment to expand its port facilities at the Argentinian port at Puerto San Martin, increasing the company’s grain exporting capacity from the region.

Under its plan to diversify and broaden its origination points, ADM’s project, which will include the construction of additional storage capacity and a new berth for barge discharge is scheduled to be completed by early 2016.

“From acquiring full ownership of our Black Sea terminals, to quadrupling the capacity at our port in northern Brazil, to this enhancement of our capabilities in Argentina, we are executing on our plan to diversify and expand our trade and origination territory,” Joe Taets, president of ADM’s Agricultural Services business unit tells World Grain.

Once completed, the project will increase annual capacity at Puerto San Martin by 25%, from the current annual throughput of 2 million tons to 2.5 million tons. This increase will allow ADM to increase its exports volumes from Paraguay, and reduce its reliance on third party facilities. In combination with ADM’s export elevator in Arroyo Seco, and its deep water port at Bahia Blance, ADM will have a total yearly throughput capacity in the region of 7.5 million tons.

This announcement comes on the heels of ADM announcing it will quadruple its annual capacity from 1.5 million tons to 6 million tons at its export terminal in Barcarena in northern Brazil, the selling of a 50% stake in the Barcarena facility to Glencore Plc, and the acquisition of complete ownership of North Star Shipping and Minmetal at the Romanian Port of Constanta which will expand the group’s origination and transportation network on the Black Sea.

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