The Brazilian Institute of Environmental and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) has issued an operating license to Brasil Terminal Portuario (BTP) effective 19th, July 2013, marking an important milestone in the new port project and officially opening the terminal.
“ With this license we can now begin our commercial activities and play an important role in connecting Brazil and Latin America to world markets ”, stated Henry Robinson, CEO of Brasil Terminal Portuario .
This government approval comes shortly after the Brazilian Customs House approved the Bonded Area Permits. Earlier in April, the port received the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) certification.
“ Our business plan is moving forward with these government approvals and once the dredging is completed we can expand our service to the region” , added Mr. Robinson.
The next step is dredging of the turning basin and channel by the Port Authority and the SEP which are expected to be completed in the next few months.
BTP has been one of Brazil’s highest profile and most important port projects serving Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populated city and 7th largest city in the world. The terminal is the closest port in the harbor to the business centers and commercial markets that rely on the port. The brownfield project is a global success story that entailed taking an old, contaminated, industrial site which was a major liability for the city and turning it into a clean, safe, eco-friendly and job-generating economic engine of a port. Remediation work lasted 30 months at a cost of R$ 257 million to remove 711,000 CBM of soil. The project has generated thousands of direct jobs that improve the regional economy.
The terminal boasts a quay length of 1108 meters, eight STS cranes, 26 RTGs, 40 terminal trucks, and an automated 18 lane gate to serve the trucking community safely and efficiently. Of interest, BTP is the only terminal in the region that has an exclusive parking area for trucks to keep them off city roads and improve the air quality of the region by significantly reducing diesel emissions.
Brasil Terminal Portuario is a 50/50 joint venture between APM Terminals and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL).
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Press Release, July 29, 2013