Brazil’s Porto Central Signs Deal to Develop One of Latin America’s Largest Container Terminals

Porto Central, which began construction in December last year after a decade-long wait, has signed a contract to develop a container terminal at the port complex that could become one of the largest in Latin America. The project will move forward following signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the port and Praxys, a consultancy specializing in business and financial transactions.

According to Porto Central, the partnership aims to create infrastructure capable of receiving the world’s largest container ships, establishing the terminal as a strategic logistics hub for the region.

Located in Presidente Kennedy, on the southern coast of Espírito Santo, the container terminal will feature an access depth of 18 meters in its first phase and 20 meters in the second—an unprecedented feature in South America. The timeline anticipates the terminal will begin operations in December 2027, with full container handling starting in 2030.

“This feature allows for the docking of large container ships with capacities between 21,000 and 24,000 TEUs, positioning the port as a key consolidation and distribution point on South America’s east coast,” the port stated.

TEU stands for Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, a standard shipping measure representing a container that is 20 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet high.

Porto Central also highlighted the shortage of deepwater container terminals on South America’s east coast. As vessels grow in size, the need for port hubs is becoming increasingly urgent.

In its initial phase, the terminal will feature a 1,370-meter quay and be able to handle 2.5 million TEUs annually by 2030. In later phases, the total capacity is expected to reach 6 million TEUs.

The port added that the terminal will enable the use of large commercial vessels to and from Brazil, increasing cargo intake from Asia and/or Europe. It will also support transshipment to Argentina and Uruguay, helping to solve logistical bottlenecks and optimize maritime routes.

Praxys will also oversee marketing management and contract negotiations, leveraging the experience of Jesper Kjaedegaard, a former Maersk Line executive with over 40 years in container shipping, port planning, and international logistics.

“The new terminal is exactly the transformation Brazil needs. It will redefine container services on South America’s east coast, attract more shipping routes, boost the country’s competitiveness, and bring substantial benefits to operators, exporters, importers, and the local economy,” said Kjaedegaard.

Source: A Gazeta

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