Por Lana Saraiva
The Port of Fortaleza may receive investments in the order of R$ 119.9 million for the expansion of the terminal for the handling and storage of liquid fuel bulk, especially naphtha. Called MUC59, the area of 25,600 square meters currently houses railway lines, located in front of Lubnor.
According to a study presented by the Planning and Logistics Company (EPL), the investment will increase the port's fuel storage capacity, providing greater security of fuel supply in the State, improving the productivity of the port complex.
The information was released by EPL, on the afternoon of Monday (8), during a public hearing promoted by the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq) to deal with the lease of the area.
Tanking parkIn addition to the removal and relocation of the existing railway line, the investment foresees the construction of two new pipeline lines and eight tanks with a capacity of 51.3 thousand cubic meters of fuel.
Regarding possible conflicts with the State Government's plan to remove the tanking park that currently exists in areas adjacent to the Port of Fortaleza for the Pecém Complex, Mayara Chaves, CEO of Companhia Docas do Ceará (CDC), said that in view of the current state demand for fuels, the ventures will be complementary.
According to Mayara, today, the State has the capacity to store only about 60% of its consumption. “The State needs two tanks, both in Fortaleza and the one planned for Pecém. We import a lot of fuel. So, we understand that the two projects are complementary ”, said Mayara during the hearing.
The purpose of the lease is to take advantage of idle areas in Porto to increase its productivity. “The port size of the Port of Fortaleza is significant, but productivity is low, even when compared to similar ports that handle less cargo per year,” said Leonardo Takei Kawata, technical advisor at EPL.
The bidding process for the terminal includes a 15-year contractual term, with 3 pre-operational years. The investment is expected to increase the terminal's operational capacity (MUC59) to 740 thousand tons per year starting in 2025.
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Fonte: Ceará Global