Minister discusses port sector opportunities with Danish delegation

Brazil's ports minister José Leônidas Cristino has met with a delegation from Denmark to discuss business opportunities in the country's port sector. The minister met on Tuesday (Sep 27) with Danish ambassador Svend Roed Nielsen and representatives of business conglomerate AP Møller-Maersk, which is currently investing nearly 6bn reais (US$3.32bn) in offshore projects. The delegation expressed interest in a new port project in Amazonas state capital Manaus and the terminal being built by local port terminal operator Brasil Terminal Portuário (BTP) at São Paulo state's Santos port, the special ports department (SEP) said in a release. SEP also outlined its cabotage incentive project (PIC) to the delegation. Studies are currently being wrapped up and the project will be presented to the port sector soon, according to the minister. "It is very important to have the support of entrepreneurs and ship owners for the project to be a success," said Cristino. SEP plans to launch a 1.4bn-real tender in 1Q12 for the 25-year concession of Manaus' second port, which will be the first federal concession to the private sector for a public port in Brazil. In São Paulo, BTP signed a contract last year with local construction company Andrade Gutierrez ( AGSA) to build a new liquid and grain terminal. Investments should reach some 708mn reais and the work is due to wrap up by 1Q12.