Açu Port will welcome tomorrow (29) Brazilian Trade Minister Marcos Pereira. The goal of the meeting is to check out the port and Industrial District of São João da Barra (DISJB), which ensure that the region is able to host an Export Processing Zone (EPZ).
The Minister is the Chairman of the Council of Export Processing Zones, formed by officials from the Ministries of Finance, Planning, Budget, Interior, Environment, and Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic. The Council is responsible for recommending to the President of the Republic the creation of EPZs across the country. Representatives of these ministries will be part of the group visiting the enterprise.
“The São João da Barra Industrial District associated with Açu Port has all the necessary conditions to host an EPZ. Our port is already operating, located near the biggest consumer markets and has logistics access. The port’s infrastructure is ready and now we will develop the industrial district. The EPZ is the element to leverage this,” said José Magela Bernardes, CEO of Prumo Logística, the developer and operator of Açu Port.
The visit was scheduled after meetings held in Brasília in June. Minister Pereira committed to following every phase of the EPZ’s creation. “We want to contribute to the development of the Northern part and of the entire state of Rio de Janeiro,” he said.
The visiting group will include the head of the state’s Economic Development Company (CODIN), Conceição Ribeiro, and federal representatives such as Júlio Lopes, Vice-Chairman of the Transportation Commission of the Lower House.
The state government of Rio de Janeiro, through its Secretary of Economic Development (SEDEIS) and CODIN, is leading the creation of the EPZ at DISJB. The new EPZ, the second in the state and first one in its northern region, is expected to be constituted within 18 months.
EPZs are free trade areas dedicated to businesses that export 80% of their output. Ornamental rocks and coffee industries are some of those which may benefit from the implementation of an EPZ at DISJB
T-MULT
One of the many advantages of Açu Port is the Multicargo Terminal (T-MULT), with 500 meters of quayside, approximately 200,000 m2 of customs area and two Mobile Harbor Cranes, each with a radius of 46 meters and hoisting capacity of up to 100 tons. The terminal is authorized to handle solid bulk, project cargo and motor vehicles and is already handling bauxite, pet coke and project cargo.
Furthermore, the Northern part of Rio de Janeiro state will have a branch line from railroad EF-118, connecting DISJB and the port to Rio de Janeiro City and Vitória. The high-capacity railroad will enable transportation of a wide array of products, such as bulk, ornamental rocks and grains.
