Prumo Logística announced today that, as of November 1st, José Firmo takes over as CEO of Porto do Açu Operações, the Prumo subsidiary that operates and manages the Port of Açu, in São João da Barra (Rio de Janeiro State). Until the end of October, Antonio Primo Ferreira, O&G Director of Porto do Açu Operações, remains in the position of interim CEO.
With extensive experience in the O&G industry, in recent years Firmo worked at Seadrill, initially as President for Brazil and, since early 2018, as Vice President for the Western Hemisphere. He also worked for more than 20 years at Schlumberger holding various positions, including Head of operations in Brazil and Latin America.
At Porto do Açu Operações, Firmo will contribute to the development of the port complex and its consolidation as an O&G hub. “I am very motivated by this new challenge. I have been following the development of the Port of Açu and know its advantages for the O&G industry. I am certain that several business possibilities will materialize in the coming years,” he said.
According to Tadeu Fraga, CEO of Prumo Logística, Firmo taking over Porto do Açu Operações is a move that reinforces the importance of O&G activities in the complex. “Açu has a unique structure that is highly relevant for the O&G industry and will drive a new industrialization cycle in Brazil. And José Firmo’s joining the team reinforces our commitment to serve the industry with excellence.”
Firmo has an MBA from the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University (Netherlands) and 25 years of experience in O&G services, establishing a substantial international career.
About Prumo Logística
Prumo is the multi-business economic group in charge of developing the Port of Açu, the largest port complex in Brazil. Through the six companies that form the group — Porto do Açu, Ferroport, Açu Petróleo, GNA, Dome and BP Prumo — Prumo offers services in mining, port logistics, energy, and oil and gas. Some of Prumo’s partners and clients include the Port of Antwerp, BP, Siemens, Anglo American, Oiltanking, Shell, Petrobras, Galp, Equinor, TechnipFMC, NOV, Edison Chouest, GranIHC, InterMoor, Wärtsila and other global industry leaders. The Port of Açu also has strategic agreements with the Port of Houston, in the U.S., and the Port of Guangzhou, in China.
About the Port of Açu
Located in an area of 130 km², Açu is the largest port-energy complex in Brazil.
In that location, GNA (Gás Natural Açu) is developing a gas hub that, in its first phase, will have one regasification terminal and two thermal power plants which will have combined capacity to generate 3GW – enough to power 14 million households, turning Açu into the largest thermal energy provider in Latin America. Moreover, GNA is building offshore gas pipelines, a gas processing unit and a liquid exports terminal for pre-salt gas, in addition to onshore pipelines to connect Açu to the existing network. GNA’s total planned investment to develop the two first phases exceeds US$ 2 billion.
Açu also has an oil hub, in a strategic location for pre-salt oil exports, as well as processing, blending and storage services. Açu Petróleo, a Prumo-Oiltanking partnership, has attracted leading O&G players such as Shell, Petrobras, Galp and Equinor as clients of its highly efficient oil transhipment terminal. It is the only private terminal on the Brazilian coast, with licensed capacity for 1.2 mbpd and able to welcome Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs). Expansion projects include network-connected oil pipelines, facilities with storage capacity for 5.5 million barrels, and oil treatment to meet growing export volumes.
With 17 km of quayside, 40% already operational, the complex currently handles oil, iron ore, coal, pet coke, bauxite, gypsum, general cargo and project cargo. The Port of Açu’s Export Processing Zone (ZPE) was created in 2017 as a privately-run free trade area, focused on manufacturing export products with tax incentives.
