SOUTH AMERICA

Pontal project to boost Brazilian port prospects

11 years ago

Brazil could see another major container terminal in the south of the country buoying up the competition between the eight other terminals which already exist in the region.

Development plans: The area earmarked for the Port Pontal project is located close to the Paranaguá Port

Local news agency, Portos e Navios has reported that Brazilian authorities are progressing with plans to develop the $447 million Port Pontal project.

The project, located close to the Paranaguá Port, aims to increase port capacity for the Paraná river by 50%, from 45 up to 70 million tonnes per annum.

The 6.45 million square foot site houses the Terminal de Containeires de Paranagua (TCP) container facility, but the plan is to turn it into a 2 million 20 foot equivalent unit capacity container terminal.

Ricardo Bueno Salcedo, director of Pontal Harbor, told Portos e Navios: “The new port will create a more dynamic environment and contribute to the economic and social development of the region.”

He pointed out that over the past eight years Santa Caterina has received three new terminals while Paraná has remained stagnant.

Plans for the project include extensive rail infrastructure and it will apparently benefit from Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG) cranes rather than conventional RTGs. The first phase of work is reportedly due to be completed in the second half of 2017.

Brazil’s President Rousseff announced earlier this year that the government would be working hard to revive economic growth and invest around $12 billion in port upgrades. But the question still remains as to how the money needed will be raised.