HISTORYE.T.E. Group, created in 1936 with the founding of Empresa de Tra´fego e Estiva, S.A. by Captain Luiz de Figueiredo, grandfather of the current shareholders, specialized as a port operator in the offshore loading and unloading of dry bulk.
Since its founding, Empresa de Tra´fego e Estiva, S.A. has evolved and economically outperformed the country.
The same innovative spirit and constant search for new solutions to improve business conditions continues to be present today within the group.
It is currently a model company in the maritime and port sectors and related activities in Portugal and the major Portuguese-speaking African countries, and more recently to South American ports, having broadened its scope of activity to related shipping areas such as ship repair, superintendence and crewing and logistic services.
Philosophy
EXPANSION AND INTERNATIONALIZATIONGeographic expansion of the companies that are part of the E.T.E. universe has been driven in line with a number of major guidelines: create a single service that allows undeniable identification of the group’s modus operandi, preserving its values and the specificities of the locations where the group operates, in order to recover instead of replace, and always promote local assets.
That is why operating in all the main ports of Portugal on the mainland and in the autonomous island regions means being in all of the locations that are crucial to customers, providing a global, integrated service with the efficiency — and the advantage — of not depending on third parties to provide links among maritime, port and forwarding agent operators.
In Portuguese-speaking African countries like Guine-Bissau, Cape Verde and Mozambique, the group has been a presence for more than 15 years and new challenges have been faced in Uruguay and Colombia where a newly company, ETE Colombia SAS, has recently started its own operations with floating cranes, barges and tugs. The new company is helping with the developmental challenges of the country, as well as, its opportunities for ports, shipping and logistic services.
FINANCIAL STRENGTHThe economic and financial strength of the group is crucial to preserve its identity. In the current economic climate it is absolutely essential to invest in technology, human resources and, above all, in a group strategy, selectively directing investment towards operations and quality of service, financing cohesive growth in order to add value and win in the long run.
Today E.T.E. Group is a proud group of more than 40 companies with a turnover in excess of €200 million organized in three different areas, shipping, ports and other related activities like shipyards, road transportation, warehouses and shared services.
Business areas
FORWARDING AGENTS
The introduction of a new forwarding agent concept with rapid, reliable and efficient service suited to each customer, allows a continuous flow of goods over water, land and air.
E.T.E. Group is equipped with its own infrastructures at the main logistical destinations in Portugal and Mozambique. They are instrumental in loading, unloading, warehousing, handling, packing and distributing cargo, as well as providing other services related to shipment and reception of goods.
Aerial cargo is another of the group’s specialties. All of the forwarding agents are IATA members.
SHIPPING AND MARITIME TRANSPORTOne of E.T.E. Group’s main priorities has been to reinforce the group concept in order to broaden the scope of its activities in all areas of maritime transport.
The group’s shipowners are currently the most important players in terms of cargo shipment between the mainland and the Portuguese islands and different African ports. They are thus in a privileged position to guarantee a wide range of integrated services and intermodal connections.
The group’s maritime transport operators guarantee a range of services dedicated to the cement industry executed by its own fleet of self-unloading ships specialized in transporting cement in bulk.
The handling of solid bulk cargo is an important specialty of the group’s shipowners, who developed worldwide operations for coal transport with departure points all around the globe.
SHIPPING AGENTSProviding customers with the capability to move cargo from all ports on the Portuguese mainland and its island regions to any destination in the world using its own shipping agent network is the group’s main mission.
Representation of liner companies with calls at domestic ports and ship agency services for the respective ships allow the companies of the E.T.E. universe to mediate and organize multimodal transportation that provides flexible and versatile logistical solutions.
Apart from representing and acting as agents of the shipping companies that are part of the group’s holding company, the group’s shipping agents represent and act as agents of other shipowners with an acknowledged reputation in both domestic and international markets.
The agency network and its connections to other countries like Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guine-Bissau, Uruguay or Colombia offer added value to clients and other stakeholders.
FLEET AND CREW MANAGEMENTThe E.T.E. universe includes companies specialized in fleet and crew management that develop projects and offer services to domestic and foreign shipowners, participating in all types of technical and maritime actions. Twenty-four hours a day,
365 days a year, the E.T.E. Group guarantees quality of service in supporting ships during boarding, supplying equipment for port and offshore unloading, managing crews, supplying fuel, provisions and spare parts during docking operations, tank cleaning operations, loading and unloading, supporting traffic and all other services related to maritime and port operations.
LOGISTICS SERVICESThe E.T.E. Group’s transport and logistics companies offer a broad range of specific services for both corporate and individual customers.
Co-ordinating and organizing transport, intermediate warehousing, and distribution of goods is part of the group’s broad flexibility and response capacity in the supply of complementary logistical services.
The group can supply logistical control and parking of containers in its own depots, complementing this activity with strict maintenance of structural and safety conditions for containers, repairing and replacing them whenever necessary, providing customers with outstanding conditioning for their products.
OTHER BUSINESSControl and management of capital holdings, supply of administrative services, professional training involving maritime activities, financial and shared services are part of a series of complementary activities that contribute to an increase in the rationalization of resources and the operability of E.T.E. Group.
SHIPBUILDING AND REPAIRIn line with its diversification and innovation strategy, E.T.E. Group’s shipbuilding and repair sector operates two shipyards in the Port of Lisbon area.
These infrastructures provide specialized technicians and equipment for repairing, maintaining and modifying container ships, bulk carriers, tug boats, oceanographic ships and navy vessels, among others.
E.T.E.’s constant efforts to use new shipbuilding systems and advanced materials and technology allow it to offer the specialized vessels market objective and innovative solutions for constructing pilot and recreational launches.
Maintenance and repair of port and fluvial equipment constitutes one of the most important aspects of the group’s shipyard activities and it has won the confidence of operators.
PORT OPERATIONSPort operations have been a key sector to building the E.T.E. Group’s prestigious reputation.
Since its establishment, this activity has experienced constant growth, sustained by a strategic business vision that has helped consolidate the position the group holds today as the most important port operator in the country.
From a geographical point of view, the E.T.E. Group is everywhere, operating in all the major ports in Portugal, where the group manages and participates in eight port concessions as well a terminal in the port of Maputo.
Co-ordination among the companies of the group in managing concessions of port terminals permits a more profitable use of structures and, more importantly, offers customers a broader service with significantly more competitive prices.
Operating 365 days a year under all types of adverse conditions, without compromising safety and the environment, maintaining high levels of productivity, meeting deadlines and guaranteeing less docking time for ships, these are only some of the reasons for the success experienced in this business area.