MINFRA receives R$3.6 billion investment proposal for new port in Natal

MINFRA (the ministry of Infrastructure) received a proposal for a new R$ 3.6-billion port terminal in Natal and for the adaptation of the current port. According to the proposal, investments are long-term and would be carried out in stages.

The project is for the construction of a terminal on the left bank of the Potengi River, in front of the current port, in addition to the construction of logistical corridors, a third bridge over the river, recovery of the degraded mangrove area, and among other investments in logistics infrastructure – such as a railway branch between the port, the airport, and the Export Processing Zone. Together, investments would reach almost R$ 7 billion.

The proposal was prepared by the Center for Strategies on Natural Resources and Energy (CERNE) in partnership with an Italian consultancy and Brazilian offices and delivered by Senator Jean-Paul Prates (PT) in an audience with Minister Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, on December 14th. The meeting, which also included the Secretary of Agriculture of the State, Guilherme Saldanha, and the coordinator of the congressional Potiguar bench, Federal Deputy Benes Leocádio (Republicans), was initially held to discuss operational bottlenecks in the capital’s port.

“The Potengi port complex proposal can give a new breath to the economy of Rio Grande do Sul. It will be an installation integrated with other modes of transport, capable of receiving ships of a much larger size than those using the current port, and will have a low impact on the environment. The deadline for the implementation of the new port terminal, the logistics corridor, and the railway branch that make up this project is relatively short: 3 to 5 years. The investments would be amortized over 20 years based on the rates obtained for handling cargo”, said the senator.

According to the Secretary of Agriculture, Guilherme Saldanha, the outline of the new port should be analyzed by the federal government to consider the possibility of investment or a partnership with the private sector. “The truth is that the current port of Natal is showing itself to be very small in view of the prospects we have for new exports, such as the opening of the Chinese market, for fruit production, for example. We already have operational difficulties. We need a new port “, stated Saldanha.

The new port would be installed in a 9.0 km² area, on the left bank of the Potengi River, with 1000 meters of linear berth and ​​1 km² of retro area, taking advantage of the existing access channel and evolution basin.

According to the proposal, the structure planned for the new port will have three container yards: one for empty, one for import and one for export.  It will have yards for the handling of solid bulk (iron ore, feldspar, limestone, kaolin, etc.) with conveyor belts coupled with ship loaders. A fuel and chemical tanking yard with a capacity of 80,000m³ would also be built; in addition to all the necessary logistical infrastructures.

Investment proposals
New Grande Natal Port Terminal, dry port (SPA), and adaptation of the Port of Natal:
– Execution Time: 3 years and 4 months
– Estimated Investment: R$ 3.6 billion
Logistic Corridor (road integration), third bridge, and ecological urban park:
– Execution time: 3 years and 8 months
– Estimated Investment: R$ 580 million
Railway Branch (Natal-Assu-Macau-Mossoró-Jucurutu-Caicó):
– Execution time: 4 years and 9 months
– Estimated Investment: R $ 2.8 billion

“The current port does not have a crane. The transport of the containers to the yard and to the ships is done with equipment from the terminal operator, which is old and scrapped. Trucks that were supposed to spend two or three hours and return to the farms to get more containers are spending a whole day in Natal”, said Saldanha

Companhia Docas do Rio Grande do Norte (CODERN) has not yet taken a position on the matter. In a note, the company said it is discussing a partnership to install a truck yard company in the metropolitan region of Natal. “CODERN’s objective is to contribute to improve traffic and facilitate logistics for users in the Port of Natal”, he informed.

Source: G1

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