Codern to Grant Port Yard to Agrícola Famosa in R$3.1 Million Investment Deal

An agreement between Companhia Docas do Rio Grande do Norte (Codern) and Agrícola Famosa, the state’s leading fruit exporter, is expected to guarantee investments of around R$3.1 million in the South Yard of the Port of Natal, with the concession of the space to the company. There is still no scheduled date for signing the initial transition contract, which will be valid for 12 months and may be renewed for another 12 months, until the company completes the leasing process for the area, with a total term of 25 years. The expectation is that these changes will already be in place for the next fruit harvest.

With the partnership, the South Yard will receive infrastructure improvements so that the delivery time of fruit shipped from the capital’s seaport to export markets can be reduced by up to 30%. Agrícola Famosa has already begun the leasing process by submitting the required documents.

The agreement grants a 6,600 square-meter area for a period of 25 years. Facilities such as refrigerated chambers will be installed on site, as explained by Carlo Porro, CEO of Agrícola Famosa. According to Codern, renovations are also planned for Berths 2 and 3 of the terminal, the South Yard, and the cross-docking area.

The contract will be signed with Top Link, the logistics arm of the fruit exporter. Carlo Porro explained that the investments focus on increasing cross-docking — a cargo distribution system that allows goods to be shipped immediately or within 24 hours.

“The expectation is to have a non-stop service, where one ship departs, and another arrives immediately after, without interruption. With this, producers will be able to ship fruit any day of the week. We are negotiating a Premium Express service with the arrival of smaller vessels — instead of a ship carrying 8,000 or 9,000 pallets, two ships carrying 5,000 pallets each will dock. This way, the fruit does not wait to be shipped to Europe,” explains Carlo Porro.

“We are working to have this change ready for the next harvest, ensuring a short transit time operation. This way, the fruit spends less time both on the farm and at the Port. In practice, this means savings of about a week in the entire cycle — from harvest to delivery to the customer — with a 30% time reduction,” adds the CEO.

Codern clarified that the total value of the transaction is R$3,675,000, of which R$3,154,000 will be used for infrastructure investments, and the remaining R$521,000 will be paid to the company. “We expect that Agrícola will be able to increase fruit exports, diversify cargo, and possibly even cabotage routes,” Codern stated in a note sent to the press.

The measure aims to strengthen the terminal’s operational and logistics capacity for outbound cargo flows. Carlo Porro, from Agrícola Famosa, highlights the competitiveness the state will gain in fruit exports as the partnership’s main impact, since the changes will benefit other producers as well. “The improvements that will be made — it is important to emphasize — will not serve only Agrícola, but also other fruit producers in Rio Grande do Norte,” said Porro.

COEX
The Executive Committee of Fruit Growing of RN (COEX-RN), an entity that represents the state’s fruit growers, believes that advances in port infrastructure are essential to strengthen the flow of fruit from Rio Grande do Norte and create favorable conditions for local producers so that the state remains competitive in international markets.

“Every structural improvement, modernization of processes, or increase in capacity tends to contribute to a more competitive and efficient environment, which is positive for the fruit sector as a whole,” COEX said in a statement. “We remain available to discuss solutions that broadly meet the logistical needs of our associated producers,” it added.

Cargo movement reaches record at the Port of Natal
The Port of Natal, managed by Companhia Docas do RN (Codern), announced on Monday (08) that it reached a new record and achieved its best November in port cargo movement in the last three years. In November 2025, a total of 68,777 tonnes were handled, representing a 19.63% increase from 57,492 tonnes in November 2024.

The result reinforces the Port of Natal’s recovery of its leading role, as it has been regaining its indicators following a period of operational, logistical, and economic challenges. According to Codern’s CEO, Paulo Henrique Macedo, the result shows the impact of the measures implemented to strengthen the port’s efficiency and competitiveness.

“This growth is a direct result of the integrated work of infrastructure modernization, improved operational processes, the efforts of workers, and closer engagement with port users and operators. The Port of Natal is regaining its strategic role for the economy of Rio Grande do Norte, and the November figures show that we are on the right track,” he said.

Source: Tribuna do Norte

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