Louis Dreyfus enhances grain logistics with high-capacity crane at Argentine port

ARGENTINA – Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has significantly enhanced its grain handling capabilities by commissioning a new crane at its General Lagos agro-industrial complex in Santa Fe, Argentina.

The crane boasts a daily barge unloading capacity of 4,800 tonnes, streamlining the reception of key commodities such as soybeans, corn, and wheat via the Paraná River.​

Announced on April 24, 2025, this infrastructure upgrade complements existing land transportation routes, offering a more efficient and sustainable logistics solution for grain shipments from Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Diego Pereyra, LDC’s Head of Industry, emphasised that the new crane underscores the company’s commitment to investing in logistics and port infrastructure, solidifying its role as a regional leader in fluvial grain transportation.​

“The incorporation of this new crane in General Lagos reflects our commitment to continue investing in logistics and port infrastructure and consolidates our position as an important regional player in fluvial grain transportation, in one of the country’s main agro-exporting areas,” said Diego.

The crane’s integration is particularly strategic, as it enhances LDC’s ability to receive commodities from its recently acquired Santa Elena facility in Entre Ríos Province, which is also situated along the Paraná River and equipped with a barge port.

In addition, the development allows for greater adaptability to market dynamics and seasonal variations in crop availability, ensuring sustained crushing volumes even when local soybean supplies fluctuate.​

This move aligns with LDC’s broader strategy to bolster its logistical network across South America. In August 2024, the company expanded its river fleet by adding 12 jumbo barges, each capable of transporting 30,000 tonnes of solid products, through its subsidiary Logico Paraguay.

This expansion increased the fleet’s capacity by 20%, enabling the transport of 1.6 million tonnes of agricultural products annually along the Paraná-Paraguay waterway.​

LDC’s General Lagos complex, operational since the early 1990s, is recognised as the world’s largest soybean biodiesel production facility, with an annual capacity of 600,000 tonnes.

The port handles over five million tonnes of products and by-products annually, serving as a critical node in Argentina’s agro-export infrastructure.

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