Port Expansion Project in Natal Estimated at R$1.2 Billion

One of the main infrastructure demands in Natal and Rio Grande do Norte, the expansion of the port in the state capital, has been estimated at R$1.2 billion. The value was presented on Monday (06) in Natal in a study commissioned by the National Confederation of Transport (CNT). Once expanded, Potengi Port could reach 110 hectares and have the capacity to store 130,000 to 200,000 containers per year.

According to the coordinator of the Technical, Economic, and Environmental Feasibility Study (EVTEA), Carlos Alberto Wanderley Nóbrega, the study assessed the possibility of the port being built on the left bank of the Potengi River. The coordinator explains that Porto Potengi could have the capacity to handle 7.5 million tons of ore per year, focusing on fruits, mining, industrial products, and fish. The wheat part would be allocated to the existing structure of the Port of Natal.

“We consider that this left bank of the Potengi would be an extension of the Porto, under the administration of Codern, which could be leased. The institutional model is for this area to be a leased part for the port to receive income from it and manage this resource. The Port of Natal today is very small, and it is hardly possible to make any leasing plans,” he analyzes. The study also suggests that the lessee rebuild the mangrove parks as environmental compensation.

The study focused only on Potengi Port, despite previous studies showing the need for an entirely new infrastructure attached to it to make Potengi function effectively. The study commissioned by CNT is for the Porto to be built by 2029, with the first three years for the preparation of the EIA-RIMA and the subsequent years for the issuance of environmental licenses.

“We are dealing with maritime access, deepening the channel to create a stable channel with a width of 120m, and the conditions for the ship to pass under the bridge. Even after solving this, the port faces another challenge: have you considered bringing 9 million tons through the city of Natal? With narrow streets? It will be necessary to increase the port access capacity, especially for the mineral and salt sectors. It will require a rail branch because it will significantly reduce the cost,” he adds.

In 2020, a projection by the Center for Natural Resources & Energy Strategies (CERNE) pointed out that the Ocean Terminal of Rio Grande do Norte – Porto Potengi Port Complex would cost R$6.380 billion.

“Intermodality is essential, and CNT defends this. The Porto needs to be modernized because cabotage transport, international transport, is undergoing significant changes. The current port has several limitations, and if a new terminal is not built, we risk losing the cargo that comes here. The ships that arrive today will not arrive here in 10 or 20 years. We sponsored the study and understand that this is one of the possibilities to transport the production of Rio Grande do Norte and the region,” said Vander Costa, President of CNT.

Draft

On October 25th, the President-Director of the Company of the Ports of Rio Grande do Norte (Codern), Nino Ubarana, participated in a meeting at the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPOR) to discuss technical matters related to the Company and the Port of Natal.

During the meeting, it was informed that the hydrographic study of the entire channel and evolution basin of the Port of Natal will be completed by November 15th. The last dredging was carried out in 2012, and it is currently necessary to deepen it to 12 meters in depth, allowing new port operations. This study is the first step to begin the dredging project.

“A port that invests in increasing the draft and expanding its navigation area can attract new customers and handle more cargo, gaining product variety. It is also a sign of modernity to meet market expectations. A reliable access channel increases competitiveness,” stated the President-Director of CODERN.

Source: A Tribuna do Norte

Click here to read the original news report: https://tribunadonorte.com.br/economia/expansao-do-porto-e-orcada-em-r-12-bilhao/

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