Terminales Graneleras Uruguayas S.A. was created to provide services for companies are linked to the international trade of grains and by-products, in Uruguay and other countries that integrate the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway.
The company exists in order to facilitate one part of the entire process that covers the agricultural chain of grains: maritime transport. In order to achieve this, it has set up operations in the port of Nueva Palmira, the very beginning (km 0) of the waterway, with a transit and shuttle station that includes silos and warehouses for storage. The company has the same operations, but in smaller dimensions, in the port of Fray Bentos, on the eastern banks of Uruguay river.

As a service-oriented company, TGU´s location, installations, processes and people are organized for maximum efficiency in all operations. AGILITY and RELIABILITY are in the foundations of this enterprise.

MISSION

From our strategic location in the ports of Nueva Palmira and Fray Bentos, our mission is to provide logistic services to the loads transported through the Plata Basin

VISSION

We will strengthen our position among the grain terminals of the region, accompanying the development of the grain production for export. We will be leaders in the quality of the service provided and have an organization oriented to the market and to excellence in the assistance and service to the customer.
We will base our performance in team work and in a proactive attitude to generate new services
We will select and train our staff with the aim of reaching the required personal characteristics, obtain their full commitment to the values of TGU and offer them the best development opportunities.

QUALITY POLICY

TGU S.A takes the continuous improvement process as a supporting foundation for the company, and thus commits itself to: 

1) Respond to the vote of confidence of our clients providing our service with:

• efficiency
• confidenciality, transparence and opportunity of information
• conservation of their goods and traceability
• flexibility

2) Achieve our staff’s identification with the company, promoting their personal development, training them and offering them an atmosphere of trust and a working environment with highest safety and hygiene measures.
 
3) Contribute prosperity and prestige to the shareholders, while enhancing their business.
 
4) Keep a relationship of mutual benefit with suppliers 

5) Contribute in the social and economic development of Nueva Palmira, Fray Bentos and their areas of influence, preserving the environmental quality.

STRATEGIC LOCATION

The navigable network of the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway is comprised by two systems: the first consists of the Paraná River and its tributaries, from its source to the River Plate, and the second consists of the Paraguay River and its tributaries up to the point where it joins the Paraná River. The network of rivers that culminates in port of Nueva Palmira is complemented by the Uruguay River, whose Argentine and Uruguayan coasts have several ports that work with commodities produced in their areas of influence. The Uruguay river is navigable from the Salto Grande dam up to the point where it joins the River Plate (Nueva Palmira).

The backbone of navigation toward the interior of the continent consists of the Paraná River and its main tributary Paraguay River, and commodities can be transported on these rivers without problems.
As a consequence of the building of Salto Grande hydroelectric dam, the Uruguay River is a navigable up to the port of Salto port (km 355), but traffic is important only up to Uruguayan port of Fray Bentos (km 99).

The Paraná-Paraguay Waterway has two alternative routes to reach the sea: by the Paraná las Palmas River and the Mitre Canal, to the access canal to Buenos Aires, or by the Paraná Bravo River and the canals Martín García and the Farallón, up to the beginning of the same access canal. From there the route to the sea is the same, through the canals Intermedio and Punta Indio. The current depth in these canals is 32 feet.

OUR SERVICES

We have in our terminals all kinds of services necessary for the handling and preparation of grains and by-products. Namely,

• Unloading of ships, barges, trucks and railroad cars.
• Loading of ships, barges, trucks and railroad cars
• Automatic temperature control for each commodity
• Identity preservation of the cargo for each client.
• Independent system of airation/ventilation for each silo
• Pre-cleaning and cleaning of grains
• Drying plant in the same terminal
• Analysis laboratory
• Preventive or curative fumigation

CUSTOMS

The customs system is very agile and practical at this moment, with many benefits for commodities that are in transit toward other countries. This system considers Nueva Palmira and Fray Bentos free ports, and this implies that:

• The movement of commodities in the port area is free and does not require authorization or formal procedures.
• The destination of the commodities that enter the port can be modified without restrictions or previous permission.
• During the stay in the port area, the commodities will be free of any taxes or duties applied to the imported goods.
• Due to the fact that the ports are in Uruguayan customs jurisdiction, goods entered whose final destination is another country do not lose the country of origin.

The port of Nueva Palmira is situated on the eastern coast of Uruguay River, in front of Paraná Bravo River, 248 km from Montevideo. It currently has an operable depth of 32 feet and an official pier that allows for operations with Panamax type ships.
The loading and unloading of ships and barges is completed with a transit and a mobile shuttle station that is on rails along the pier. With this system, the operations can be performed without any additional movements of the ship.

The unloading of commodities is performed with two pneumatic ship-unloaders, plus a crane equipped with a 8-m3 grab.The loading is done with a telescopic tube.

In addition, the transit and shuttle station has pre-cleaning equipment for grains and a continuos flow scales. This station is connected to the plant by two covered conveyor belts.

The silo plant has two covered truck platforms for the unloading of grains that come by land. Also it includes an electronic scales for trucks, another continuos flow scales in the central tower and a very modern laboratory, which makes the process extremely reliable.
The storage capacity is 70.000 tons, with vertical concrete silos and two warehouse-silos. This ensures that identities of the commodities are maintained, and the airation and temperature control systems ensure that their quality is maintained.

The plant has additional features: four pre-cleaning or cleaning machines in the elevation tower, and a drying plant.

FRAY BENTOS TERMINAL

The port of Fray Bentos is on the eastern coast of Uruguay river, 340 km from Montevideo and 234 km from Buenos Aires. It currently has an operable depth of 23 feet and an official pier for specialized coastal vessel service.

The loading of ships is completed with a transit and shuttle mobile station that is on rails along the pier.

The loading is done with a telescopic tube and this station is linked to the plant by two covered conveyor belts.
The silo plant has a covered truck and railroad car station. Also it includes a continuous flow scales in the central tower and a laboratory, which makes the process extremely reliable.

There is also an installed plant for drying and grain preparation.
The storage capacity is 25.000 tons, with vertical concrete silos and a warehouse-silo. This ensures that identities of the commodities are maintained, and the airation and temperature control systems ensure that their quality is maintained.
Finally, the port has a grain pre-cleaning plant.