Economic trends of industrial double-rig bottom trawlers in Southeastern Brazil

This work presents an analysis of the economic performance of pink-shrimp trawlers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, evaluating the temporal trends and factors determining total costs and profitability. The period comprised three years, and data from seven vessels were used in each year. Total costs were composed of variable costs, fixed costs and depreciation costs, and the economic performance was accessed considering multiple indicators. Total costs structure showed a similar composition between the crew share and fuel cost, following by vessel maintenance and commercial costs. Variation of cost items and total costs per trip were not statistically different between years. Economic performance analysis revealed that vessels exhibited considerable yearly variation for the evaluated indicators. Two vessels were loss-making in a given year, and the remaining presented variable but positive profitability. Strong positive correlation between gross revenue, commercial, labor, and fuel costs, and another strong inverse correlation between economic indicators and vessel costs were revealed. Cluster analysis suggested that profitability and costs were not associated with vessel capacity. Negative profitability was not associated with revenue or running costs; instead, it arose from vessel costs, highlighting the economic consequences of an old and obsolete fleet. This fact stresses the necessity of vessel´s modernization based on replacement policies to enhance product quality, price and profitability.