Port of Açu invests in water management to support regional development

A study by international consultancy Waterplan found that the Port of Açu, located in São João da Barra in northern Rio de Janeiro state, returns more freshwater to the Lower Paraíba do Sul River Basin than it withdraws.

In 2024, the port complex used 1.75 million cubic meters of water and replenished 2.73 million cubic meters to the basin. The replenished volume was 55% higher than the amount withdrawn and equivalent to the annual consumption of a city of about 43,000 people.

The complex is supplied through its own infrastructure and does not compete with public water systems or regional consumption.

The water replenishment result comes from a set of initiatives, including the preservation of protected areas in the Caruara Reserve, conservation of the Iquipari Lagoon and the implementation of a smart drainage system at the complex, which helps water infiltrate the soil and naturally recharge aquifers.

Açu has adopted preventive measures to ensure long-term water availability and prepare its infrastructure to receive new investments linked to the energy transition and the low-carbon economy. Today, more than 70% of the water used by the complex comes from alternative sources. That share is expected to reach 90% by 2030.

The Caruara Reserve is one of the main ways the Port of Açu turns its 2050 Ambition into concrete results for nature and local communities. Since 2012, the reserve has protected 4,000 hectares of restinga, a coastal sandbank ecosystem, while promoting biodiversity conservation.

More than R$50 million has been invested in the reserve since its creation. It now has 80 direct employees, all hired locally. More than a conservation area, Caruara Reserve has become a natural asset, an impact platform and a business unit within the port complex.

The results are part of the Port of Açu’s 2050 Ambition, which guides the sustainable growth of the complex and connects the company to global climate, social and economic challenges.

The port has also joined the Ambition Net Zero and +Water initiatives of the United Nations Global Compact Network Brazil, reinforcing its commitments to decarbonization, responsible water management, environmental protection and social development.

The complex also plays an important role in regional socioeconomic development. It currently hosts 30 companies, handled 89 million tonnes of cargo in 2025 and supports more than 7,600 direct jobs. About 75% of its workforce comes from the region, reinforcing its commitment to local employment, income generation and professional training.

In addition, the port recorded a 23% increase in the number of local suppliers and reached more than 51,000 people through initiatives under its Social Agenda.

Source: Porto do Açu

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