Expansion of Vale terminal will reduce bottlenecks in Santos

Logistical bottlenecks in the Brazilian port sector, mainly in Santos, could be minimized in about three years with the expansion of Vale’s Ultrafértil Marine Terminal (TUF) on the quay of Santos. The analysis is from the unit general manager Ricardo Buteri, when explaining the project environmental feasibility, expected to be completed in the second half of 2014.

Currently, the project is in process of environmental licensing. It is expected that the preliminary permit will be issued by Cetesb in April. As for the installation permit, it should be released until September, allowing the construction site to be set up by the end of the year. The terminal area will increase from 185 thousand to 800 thousand square meters.

According to Buteri, one of the project highlights is the use of railroads for the transport of bulk solids (sugar) and liquids (ethanol) that will integrate the terminal handling. The trucks will only be used in fertilizer import operations.

“The freight transportation through railroad is expected for the entire agricultural bulk export. The trucks will continue to be used for fertilizers, due to the short distance between the factories and the terminal. Only what will be transferred to the factories will be handled by truck,” said the general manager, pointing out that the terminal is seven kilometers away from the main units of the Cubatão Complex.

Given the need to keep trucks in at least one of the steps, the company thought in a strategy to avoid queues of trucks, when increasing the demand for fertilizers. A parking will be available in the area inside the facility. “The intention is to avoid any impact on Piaçaguera (Piaçaguera-Guarujá Highway),” the executive said. With the terminal expansion, he expects more than double the amount of handled fertilizer, from 2.5 million to nearly 6 million tons.

Fonte: A Tribuna