Progress of works in the Port of Pecém reaches 40 percent of the schedule

Second stage of port terminal expansion involves an investment of R$ 568.7 million

Erasmo da Silva Pitombeira, President of the Companhia de Integração Portuária do Ceara (Cearáportos)

From January to September, the Port of Pecém, located in São Gonçalo do Amarante, state of Ceará, handled the equivalent to 6.4 million tons of goods, achieving a historic record. The volume of goods that passed through the complex resulted in an increase of 61 percent, compared to the same period of 2013. These figures confirm its huge potential of growth, mainly supported by the exportation of solid and liquid bulk materials, containers and fruits for European markets, among others.

However, the continuity of this growth depends on the works of expansion and modernization of its structure that started in December, 2013. These works—that are part of the second phase of expansion of the Pecém Port Terminal—reached more than 40 percent of physical advance, according to Erasmo da Silva Pitombeira, President of the Companhia de Integração Portuária do Ceara (Cearáportos), company responsible by the port management.

According to Pitombeira, not only the works related to the expansion of load handling capacity in the structure of the terminal but also and mainly the enlargement or renovation of the systems of access to the port (by road and railway) are being carried out: the enlargement of the breakwater, the construction of anchoring blocks, the treatment of structural piles and the preparing of tie rods and sheet piles. New equipment is being bought to increase the operating speed and productivity of the port: two portainers for the Multi-Purpose Terminal (TMUT) able to handle 60 to 70 containers per hour. Former equipment handles at maximum 30 containers per hour.

The consortium that is carrying out the second phase of port expansion—including the expansion of the Multi-Purpose Terminal (TMUT) inaugurated in 2010—is formed by the companies Marquise Infraestrutura, Queiroz Galvão and Ivaí Engenharia de Obras. Currently, 400 persons are working in the project.

In a way to integrate the port to the New Trans-Northeastern Railway, a new 1520 m long bridge to access the existing waterwall is being built. Paving works are being carried out in 1065 m of access roads at the same time that 33 m of the bridge are being widened.

To speak about the situation of works and about the plans to transform Pecém in a reference of port operation in Brazil, we heard Erasmo da Silva Pitombeira.

Grandes Construções – The port terminal of Pecém was considered the second in productivity among all Brazilian ports, reaching a grade of 7.90, only below the port of Itapoá, in Santa Catarina, that received the grade of 8.90. This ranking results from a research disclosed in October, carried out by the Institute of Logistics and Supply Chain (Ilos).  What leaded to this classification?

Erasmo da Silva Pitombeira – The outstanding performance of the Port of Pecém is based on three factors that ensure the best operating conditions: First, the excellent conditions of access by road or railway, as well as by sea. Second, the good condition of sheltering due to calm sea and appropriate depth. And finally, a good condition of handling. The highest advantage of the port of Pecém is its off-shore location, far from the coast line, not needing access channels. The ship accesses any berth in the same way that it is navigating, with no difficulty. Attached to this factor, we have a depth up to 18 meters with no waving or currents, which needs no dredging works. And when dredging costs are removed, port charges become extremely attractive. These low charges, as well as its modern structure with modern equipment, a quite clean superstructure and a lean management attract large shipowners to the port terminal of Pecém.

The location is privileged since—in long-haul routes—shipowners that use the port of Pecém to deliver their goods are completely sure that they will arrive in the scheduled time because there is no intermediate stop. Pecém is located at six days of the East Coast of the United States and at seven days of the European Coast.

GC – What are the current cargo handling and its origins and destinations?

Erasmo Pitombeira – From January to September, 2014, 6.4 million tons of goods were handled in the port of Pecém, in operations carried out in 365 ships. These figures correspond to an increase of 61 percent in relation to 2013, when 3.9 million were handled. It is important to point out that the total of six million tons handled in 2013 corresponds to the 12 months of that year.

Once again, the main group of materials handled was solid bulk materials, that increased 235 percent, followed by containers with 22 percent and general cargo and liquid bulk materials, each one with 8 percent of increase.

Importations contributed with 5 million tons (increase of 65 percent) and the exportations with 1.2 million tons (increase of 48 percent). Long-haul shipping handled 5.4 million tons and cabotage contributed with one million tons.

GC – The port structure is passing by a process of expansion with a large volume of works to increase its capacity, with a planning defined for next 20 years. How much is involved in this project?

Erasmo Pitombeira – In the current period of the Government of the State of Ceará, about R$ 700 million were invested only in the first phase of the Port of Pecém. More than 600 million will be invested in the phase that is going on now, and about R$ 2 billion will be invested in the next phases, till the start of the Pecém Steel Company and the refining plant Premium II of Petrobras. The consortium formed by the companies Construtora Marquise, Queiroz Galvão and Ivaí Engenharia de Obras is carrying out the works at a price of R$ 568,7 million and they are scheduled to be concluded in 30 months.

GC – Where do these resources come from?

Erasmo Pitombeira – The resources come from the federal government, from BNDES and from the treasury of Ceará State Government.

GC – What is the situation of the works? What is the percent of physical progress?

Erasmo Pitombeira – 40 percent of the scheduled works are concluded.

GC – In what fronts of the complex are concentrated the main efforts?

Erasmo Pitombeira – The expansion of the port terminal includes a new1520 m long bridge for access to the existing waterwall, whose works are in progress: paving of 1065 m on the waterwall, enlargement of the waterwall in about 90 m,  increase of width in 33 m of bridge, construction of 600 m of pier with three berths for cargo or container ships.

These last features will be used in operations with general load and products of the Companhia Siderúrgica do Pecém (CSP – steel plant), of Premium II Refining Plant and of New Trans-Northeastern Railway. It is also scheduled the enlargement of the backyard area in about 69000 sq.mt.

The two berths will be used to export steel plates and the Trans-northeastern Railway will use temporarily the Multi-Purpose Terminal (TMUT)—whose first phase was already finished—until its own terminal is concluded.

It is expected that with this new expansion, the Industrial and Port Complex of Pecém (CIPP) will be composed by one berth for the TMUT, a new waterwall, two berths for solid bulk materials and five berths for liquid bulk materials.

GC – We suppose that this structure—which will ensure the interface between the port and the railway—will be quite important in the expansion project of Pecém, right?

Erasmo Pitombeira – This will be one of our important differentials. One of the highlights of the expansion project is just the construction of the offshore terminal dedicated exclusively to the railway operation. While it is not ready, we are reserving a berth exclusively for the railway, allowing it to start its transport. The complete structure will have an extension line for train maneuver and a terminal to be accessed by a network of conveyors, for commodity loading and unloading.

GC – What will be the main goods to be handled by railway in this structure?

Erasmo Pitombeira – It is foreseen the handling of iron ore, fertilizers, limestone and grains (soy and corn).

GC – How many direct work posts are being generated by the project?

Erasmo Pitombeira – The total of direct and indirect work posts will vary according to the necessities of the consortium that is carrying out the works and according to the scheduled demands.

GC – There is a third phase of the expansion of the Port of Pecém. What does it include?

Erasmo Pitombeira – The third phase of expansion in the Port of Pecém is initially budgeted in R$ 1.3 billion. New works include a new waterwall with approximately 2800 m, structure that will allow the installation of five berths to attend the Premium II Refining Plant and two berths for use of the New Trans-northeastern railway.

Currently, the executive design of the piers is being carried out and the executive design of the new waterwall is concluded. Government intends to start these works immediately after the conclusion of the second phase. The expectation is to generate 15 thousand of new direct and indirect work posts during all this process.