New Iron Ore Port Planned for Brazil


MMX Mineração e Metálicos (MMX) reported in mid-April that LLX Logística has obtained the necessary preliminary environmental license for construction of Port Sudeste, a shiploading terminal with a capacity of 50 million mt/y of iron ore. MMX and LLX are both member companies of the EBX Group, a Brazilian conglomerate. Port Sudeste is to be located in the municipality of Itaguaí, 80 km from Rio de Janeiro and 4 km from the MRS rail network. The port will handle production from MMX’s Sudeste System mines in Minas Gerais state, as well as production from other mines in the district.

MMX and LLX have signed a long-term contract for land lease and iron-ore handling at Port Sudeste, and long-term financing is in place. Current scheduling calls for construction to begin during the second half of 2009 and for activation of the port in 2011. The MMX Sudeste System in combination with the port will create “a competitive integrated solution in Brazil of high-quality iron ore mining coupled with independent, efficient, and secure logistics to export its production,” MMX said in its statement announcing the port project.


As featured in Womp 2009 Vol 04 - www.womp-int.com