Brazil ports need BRL43 billion invest ahead of market upturn
Brazil's ports need investments of 43 billion Brazilian reals ($23.5 billion) to upgrade their capabilities ahead of an expected upturn in global markets. According to a report by Brazil's Institute for Applied Economic Studies, or IPEA, BRL43 billion is needed in 265 projects to build, expand and, in some cases, rebuild port areas.
Only BRL4 billion of the recommended investment should be allocated to new ports, IPEA said, and the other BRL39 billion ought to be applied to existing ports.
The report said some existing ports had experienced a drastic decline in their throughput capabilities, while others were at their limits.
IPEA cited the ports of Ilheus, Maceio, Antonina and Cabedelo as examples of decaying ports, affected by poor installations, infrastructure and shallow berths.
However, some of Brazil's larger ports were operating at record levels despite the world economic crisis. In this category, IPEA mentioned Santos, Paranagua, Pecem and Rio Grande.
Maceio and Cabedelo are located in booming sugar-producing areas in north east Brazil.
Antonina is adjacent to Paranagua, Brazil's premier soybean port.
Ilheus is in the formerly prosperous cacao region of Bahia State, but is likely to be the neighbor of a planned iron-ore terminal.
IPEA said investment in Brazil's ports in the last 10 years in 37 publicly- owned ports was only BRL8.8 billion.
These ports account for 76.7% of Brazil's port movements.
Only BRL4 billion of the recommended investment should be allocated to new ports, IPEA said, and the other BRL39 billion ought to be applied to existing ports.
The report said some existing ports had experienced a drastic decline in their throughput capabilities, while others were at their limits.
IPEA cited the ports of Ilheus, Maceio, Antonina and Cabedelo as examples of decaying ports, affected by poor installations, infrastructure and shallow berths.
However, some of Brazil's larger ports were operating at record levels despite the world economic crisis. In this category, IPEA mentioned Santos, Paranagua, Pecem and Rio Grande.
Maceio and Cabedelo are located in booming sugar-producing areas in north east Brazil.
Antonina is adjacent to Paranagua, Brazil's premier soybean port.
Ilheus is in the formerly prosperous cacao region of Bahia State, but is likely to be the neighbor of a planned iron-ore terminal.
IPEA said investment in Brazil's ports in the last 10 years in 37 publicly- owned ports was only BRL8.8 billion.
These ports account for 76.7% of Brazil's port movements.