EcoRodovias bags Tecondi

The Ecoporto Santos box terminal has almost given up on handling container ships for the foreseeable future as two new terminals in the Brazilian port of Santos continue to increase their market share.

Brazilian container terminal operator Ecoporto Santos will bid for the new “super terminal” that will be put together in the adjacent areas (including the former Tecondi terminal) to its own terminal in Santos

Last year Santos handled 2.25M TEU, down almost 16% on the 2.67M TEU processed in 2008. However, South America’s biggest breakbulk and container port is forecast to handle 2.7M TEU this year, and regular 10% annual rises are expected over the next 10 years. The current port minister, Pedro Brito, wants capacity more than tripled to 10M TEU/year by 2020.

There is still plenty of drive behind major investment projects, which are restrained more by legal battles than the market.

Plans to change the law and open up ports in Brazil to more private investment, including at new greenfield sites, have split the business community.

The Reporto legislation in Brazil is about to be extended for another three years, up to the end of 2010, offering lucrative business opportunities for international crane and port equipment manufacturers. As previously reported (WorldCargo News, March 2007, pp19-20 and May 2007, p7), this controversial scheme allows container terminals to import handling equipment without hefty surcharges.