(01/26/2015) Paranapanema, Brazil’s major copper producer, received on the morning of last Monday the governor of Bahia, Rui Costa, for a visit to the works of structural recovery of the bridge to the pier of Solid Bulk Terminal I – North (TGS I – N) of the Porto de Aratu. The reform, promoted by a group of port users from an initiative by Paranapanema, is the result of an unprecedented partnership of the private sector with Codeba (Companhia Docas do Estado da Bahia [Bahia State’s Dock Company]) and will allow the resumption of operations in the northern berth of the port, stalled since 2013.

Paranapanema, the major user of TGS I – N, is among the leading investors of the group which relies on the participation of Fertipar, Heringer and Timac Agro, companies represented by Siacan (Sindicato das Indústrias de Adubo e Corretivos Agrícolas do Nordeste). The rehabilitation works of the structure, which should be completed by the end of February, will be 100% financed by the private sector. Together, the companies will hold an investment of R$3 million. The improvements are expected to reduce by 10 days the queue of ships.

“This partnership is an example of the desire of the private sector to contribute to increasing the efficiency of Brazilian logistics. In the case of Paranapanema, which competes with international players, the port infrastructure is extremely relevant so that the company can achieve competitive costs. Another extremely important feature is the facilitating role that Codeba has been playing since the beginning, which allowed us to reach this innovative partnership model for the realization of the project. We are sure that the benefits of this action will reach all port users and the industry of Bahia, in general”, said the president of Paranapanema, Christophe Malik Akli. The company handles 730,000 tons per year in the ports of Bahia, 85% in Aratu, where the company receives the copper concentrate, which is the raw material for the production of metallic copper.

The bridge to the terminal is closed for truck traffic for over a year and a half, making it impossible to carry out import operations in the port’s north berth. With the works, the Port of Aratu should recover its productivity by 33%, from rebalancing operations in berths and consequent dilution of the activities of the Solid Bulk Terminal I – South (TGS I – South) and Solid Bulk Terminal II (TGS IIA), which are absorbing the demand of the north berth since the prohibition of access.

The repairs comprise the removal of the current slab, which is damaged, and building of a new structure. The beams that support the slab are preserved and will be kept. The services are being performed by AJL Engenharia, a company from Bahia.