Port of Suape places bets on sustainability with world’s largest dredger aid

Dutch company Van Oord began, on Dec 1, the final stage of dredging works in the Port of Suape. The Willem Van Rubroeck, the world’s largest cutter suction dredger, is now operating in Pernambuco. Highly anticipated, the dredging will allow the depth at Suape to reach 20 meters, contributing to an increase in cargo throughput.

This last stage of dredging in the outer channel will place the port prominently on the global scene, enabling large vessels at their maximum capacity, such as Suezmax-type oil tankers, to dock and make the port even more attractive to the international market.

“This project is necessary to provide a deep-water port, a move aligned with the expansion works of the Abreu e Lima Refinery. Dredging is also crucial to enhance the operation of the two container terminals (the second begins operations in 2026), to receive vessels with greater cargo capacity,” says Suape’s CEO, Marcio Guiot.

According to Guiot, there is a significant environmental concern associated with the project. It is essential to note that last month, the Port of Suape rose in the ranking of the highest Environmental Performance Index (EPI) among the 31 public ports in the country. The Pernambuco port secured third place in the award granted by the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq).

“One of the most important aspects of this project is that we are fully committed to the safety and environmental control of dredging. We will use the largest and most modern dredger in the world, equipped with a system that causes the least possible impact,” adds the president.

Navigability in Suape

Dredging is crucial for maintaining navigability and ensuring the appropriate depth for safe navigation, maneuvers, and port operations, which operate continuously 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The intervention is authorized by the state environmental agency and is expected to be completed within five months.

The port authority administration states that it has taken all necessary measures to mitigate environmental impact, complying with the requirements outlined in the authorization. This includes the development of environmental programs, control and monitoring of aquatic fauna and surface waters, and sediment management, among others.

World’s Largest Dredger

The contract with the Dutch company Van Oord is worth R$ 140 million. This marks the first time the Willem Van Rubroeck dredger has been used in a Brazilian port. In total, approximately 1,368,000 cubic meters of sediment will be removed from the sea.

Source: Movimento Econômico

Click here to access the original news text: https://movimentoeconomico.com.br/economia/portos/2023/12/01/com-maior-draga-do-mundo-porto-de-suape-inicia-obra-no-canal-externo/

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