Samarco’s Ubu port hits 500 mln tonnes shipped, plans R$13 bln investment

The Port of Ubu, located in the state of Espírito Santo, reached a historic milestone in October by completing the shipment of 500 million tonnes of iron ore over its 48 years of operation. This solid achievement not only highlights the terminal’s importance to Samarco but also cements Ubu’s position as one of Brazil’s largest ports for iron ore exports.

The milestone of 500 million tonnes, while impressive, could have been reached earlier had port operations not been interrupted by the Mariana dam collapse in 2015. The incident halted Samarco’s operations for about 5 years, from 2015 to 2020, preventing cargo shipments.

Since resuming operations, the company has focused on restoring production and infrastructure, aiming to reach 100% of production capacity by 2029.

Samarco’s targets are ambitious. By 2029, the Port of Ubu is expected to reach 26 million tonnes shipped per year. To achieve this, the company plans to invest more than R$13 billion in operations in Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais.

These funds will be allocated to modernizing the terminal and strengthening logistics infrastructure, with the aim of increasing efficiency and operating capacity, ensuring the continued growth of both the port and iron ore production.

Ubu, which ranks second among Espírito Santo’s largest iron ore terminals—behind Vale’s Tubarão terminal—continues to consolidate its strategic position nationally. The port stands alongside other major Brazilian terminals such as Tubarão, Itaguaí (Rio de Janeiro) and Ponta da Madeira (Maranhão), and remains a vital link for iron ore exports in Brazil.

Source: Cidades e Minerais