Brazil's Porto Central Phase 1 Completes Land Area Preparation, Breakwater and Dredging to Commence

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Recently, Brazil announced the latest progress on Phase 1 of the project. Located in Presidente Kennedy, Espírito Santo, the project has completed major site leveling and earthworks for approximately 65 hectares of port area. Internal roads, water supply, power systems, and construction camps and other land-side supporting facilities have been put into use, and the project is preparing for the commencement of the south breakwater and dredging works.

The early construction of Phase 1 mainly includes vegetation clearing, site leveling, excavation, cut and fill, along with the simultaneous construction of internal roads, drainage, and utility interfaces in the construction area. At the current stage, the project has established land-side construction conditions capable of supporting large-scale construction equipment, material transport, and parallel operations across multiple work fronts. The on-site concrete batching plant has also been installed.

The rock material required for the south breakwater has entered the production and transport stage. The rock material comes from a dedicated quarry approximately 27 kilometers from the project and is currently being continuously transported to the port area for stockpiling. The project owner is also widening, marking, fencing, and upgrading the transport road between the quarry and the port area for heavy vehicle traffic. The port area's concrete batching plant will subsequently supply materials for breakwater concrete components and other port structures.

Phase 1 will build the first deep-water liquid bulk terminal, primarily for crude oil ship-to-ship transfer. The project has been approved to build up to 4 oil berths, with a maximum berth depth of 23 meters, capable of accommodating VLCC ultra-large crude carriers. According to the project design, shuttle tankers can transfer crude oil to larger tankers in the protected waters within the port. The project owner has signed relevant business contracts with companies including Petrobras, Equinor, CNOOC, and Repsol Sinopec.

Phase 1 involves an investment of approximately 2.6 billion Brazilian reais and is currently planned for completion within the next two years, with initial operations commencing in parallel. In 2026, project financing was approved by the Brazilian Merchant Marine Fund (FMM), and the financing agreement is currently in the structural design stage with financial institutions. According to the construction schedule, 2027 will see the peak of personnel mobilization for Phase 1, with an estimated maximum on-site direct workforce of approximately 1,295 people.

Phase 1 officially commenced in December 2024, at which time the project had obtained the relevant environmental license from IBAMA. The initial construction of Phase 1 included vegetation clearing and site preparation for approximately 65 hectares. This latest progress corresponds to the basic completion of land-side construction supporting facilities and the beginning of the transition to marine infrastructure construction phases such as breakwater and dredging works.