Brazil's Açu port expands copper storage capacity

Brazil’s Açu port, in Rio de Janeiro state, opened a new copper storage warehouse on Wednesday.

With capacity of 45,000t, it will receive Lundin Mining Brasil’s output from Goiás state to be exported to the international market. 

The mining company’s growing export needs are partially driven by the increase in global demand for the metal for the production of electric vehicles.

“We want to position ourselves as an ideal partner for customers like Lundin Mining to expand their export operations,” João Braz, director of terminals and logistics at Açu port, said during the inauguration ceremony.

He highlighted that lithium is another key mineral for electric vehicles.

“So, we’re setting up an optimal logistics system for our customers here,” Braz added.

Another warehouse with capacity of approximately 40,000t is scheduled to be opened in the first half of this year. This will enable handling of diverse cargo, such as mineral and agricultural bulk goods, fertilizers and steel products.

Located in São João da Barra municipality, Açu port was designed to support mining and offshore oil and gas exploration and production, and is now planned to become an energy transition hub, with natural gas, solar and offshore wind power, and green hydrogen projects that will coexist with the fossil fuel and mining industries. 

INFRASTRUCTURE AND CLIENTS

Açu’s manager Prumo Logística expects 1bn reais (US$190mn) in investments from the government of Rio de Janeiro to expand road and rail connections to the port and industrial complex. This would enable it to increase its capacity to receive additional fertilizer production.

Meanwhile, Prumo is working to attract new industries to Açu, such as wind turbine and blade manufacturers. 

The company’s CEO, Rogério Zampronha, is optimistic about the development of offshore wind and green hydrogen projects in the country. 

“The author of the offshore wind regulation project is the current CEO of Petrobras [Jean Paul Prates]. The energy transition is on the current government's agenda,” he told a press conference on Wednesday.

The reporter traveled to the inauguration ceremony at the invitation of Açu port.