Company denies petcoke contamination at Port of Maceió after environmental fine

After being fined by the Alagoas Environment Institute (IMA) for allegedly contaminating the sea with petcoke particles during operations at the Port of Maceió, Intermarítima Portos e Logística S.A. has officially denied any spillage of the material.

In a statement to the press, the company claimed there was no record of petroleum coke (petcoke) falling from a vessel during its operations and that all procedures were conducted in accordance with safety protocols, Brazilian environmental legislation, and the guidelines set forth by bodies such as ABNT, CONAMA, as well as specific requirements of the Port of Maceió.

Intermarítima also emphasized that it is certified under ISO 9001, ISO 14001, SASSMAQ, and OTM standards, and that it maintains strict operational practices focused on safety and environmental protection. The company added that it is open to on-site inspections, will provide supporting documents, and is available to offer further clarification to the relevant authorities.

IMA citation and requirements

The citation was issued by IMA on Friday (August 1) after teams from its Inspection and Coastal Monitoring departments identified a slick in the sea attributed to a discharge from the vessel Cape Spencer, which was operating at the port terminal managed by the company.

According to IMA, the material was identified as petcoke—a petroleum byproduct with low toxicity, but which poses risks to marine fauna, flora, and water quality when released into the ocean. The infraction was classified as severe under State Law No. 6.787/06 and resulted in a fine of R$45,000.

In addition to the fine, the company was ordered to submit a detailed technical report within 10 calendar days, outlining the causes of the incident, the estimated volume of spilled material, and the containment, mitigation, and remediation measures undertaken.

IMA’s executive director, Gustavo Lopes, stated that the agency will continue monitoring the company’s operations at the Port of Maceió. “Our role is to ensure that port and industrial activities in Alagoas are conducted legally and responsibly. We act firmly whenever there is a risk or damage to the environment,” he said.

Source: 7 Segundos

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