TMIB completes 10 years under VLI with significant growth in cargo throughput

Celebrating its tenth year under VLI management in 2024, the Inácio Barbosa Maritime Terminal (TMIB) in Barra dos Coqueiros has witnessed remarkable growth in the handling of commodities and industrialized products over the past decade. Particularly noteworthy is the significant surge in cargo volume over the last five years (2018-2023), marking a remarkable 108% increase, with shipments exceeding 1.2 million tons in the previous year alone.

The terminal’s prominence underscores its strategic role in facilitating the transportation of grain products (such as soy, corn, and soy meal), construction materials, fertilizers, and minerals within the Arco Norte region. Furthermore, TMIB serves as a vital support hub for Petrobrás’ offshore operations, offering logistical assistance to supply vessels and facilitating remote logistics for oil platforms along the Sergipe coast.

Moreover, TMIB has played a pivotal role in integrating the region’s agribusiness into wider economic networks. Trucks traversing this corridor transport goods from the hinterlands for export via the port, returning laden with fertilizer imports, predominantly sourced from Europe. These inputs are indispensable for production not only in Sergipe but also in western Bahia, a significant agribusiness hub.

Osmar Selhorst, the operations manager at TMIB, emphasizes the terminal’s dedication to handling general cargo efficiently, positioning itself as a competitive logistical gateway for Northeastern produce to access global markets. He underscores the collaborative efforts between various stakeholders, including the state government, producers, customers, trade associations, and other entities, in enhancing the terminal’s national standing and providing comprehensive services across all cargo segments, thereby bolstering the regional economy.

With two mooring piers—one spanning 356 meters for bulk cargo and the other 59 meters for offshore operations—TMIB boasts seven warehouses with a static capacity of 55 thousand tons, three yards capable of storing 150 thousand tons, and three silos accommodating up to 60 thousand tons.

Furthermore, TMIB has significantly ramped up its investment levels in recent years, with annual expenditure reaching R＄30 million for renovation and requalification projects. Over VLI’s ten-year tenure as the port’s administrator and operator, there has been notable progress in grain reception operations, including the installation of a tipper capable of handling over 800 thousand tons annually. Additionally, VLI initiated a cement cabotage flow through TMIB five years ago, supplying the northern region of the country with a total shipment volume surpassing 1.4 million tons.

In the mining sector, TMIB has been running a copper concentrate operation for seven years, witnessing a remarkable growth from 10 thousand tons per year in 2017 to over 140 thousand tons per year presently. These achievements are underpinned by recent investments, including the acquisition of new grabs with enhanced fertilizer unloading capacity, refurbishment of conveyors along the shipping line, and extensive paving and civil works, all aligned with the terminal’s growth strategy.

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