São Paulo – The Industrial Complex at Suape Port, in Pernambuco, considered the most complete business hub for industrial and port projects in the northeast of Brazil, is still attracting the attention and investment of foreign businessmen. Of the 17 companies that are setting up offices in Suape Global Project, established in December 2008, six are foreign.
In these projects alone, investment should reach US$ 1.5 billion and a total of 23,700 direct jobs should be created. The initiative aims at transforming the complex into a hub to supply goods and services to the oil, gas and naval industries. One of the first tasks of the developers of Suape Global was to promote the project abroad. Roadshows were made to nine countries, among them the United Arab Emirates.
“We visited Dubai during the same trip we took to India (in 2008). We visited Jebel Ali port and focussed on meetings with investors in the hospitality area, mainly in resorts,” said the president at the complex, Fernando Bezerra Coelho. “The mission did not generate any concrete business, but there are opportunities that may become partnerships in future,” he said.
According to Coelho, there are other projects in development at Suape that may bring the port closer to the countries of the Middle East. One is in the area of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and another in the area of refined white sugar. According to him, it is not yet possible to disclose greater details about projects, but there is interest of both parties in closing deals.
“In the medium term, the project should receive national and international recognition. Suape Complex has been consolidated as the main hub for investment in the country. That is because a great number of funds is being invested in a short period of time,” said Coelho.
The project is being organised and distributing development to the cities that make up Suape: Ipojuca, Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Escada, Moreno, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Ribeirão, Sirinhaém and Rio Formoso. “The project reserves 800 hectares of area within these cities, available for companies to set up roots,” said Silvio Leiming, the director of Suape Global.
Suape Global was developed by the government of Pernambuco and counts on the support of the Federal University of Pernambuco, the Petrobras Research Centre (Cenpes), the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuel Agency (ANP), the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), the Bank of the Northeast and the Ministry of Science and Technology.
In the sector of oil and gas, the chain includes exploration, production, refining and gas processing, transport and distribution. In the naval sector, the productive chain includes the metallurgy, ironworks and ship part sectors, services, engineering, legal consultancy, economics and business.
The port
The Suape Industrial Port Complex has been in operation for 31 years and includes 100 companies, of which 40% have foreign capital. In 2009, the Suape Port had throughput of around 7.7 million tonnes. The figure represents growth of 20% in throughput this year.
From 1978 to 2006, private companies invested US$ 2.18 billion in the complex. From 2007 on, works totalling US$ 18.6 billion were developed. The Petrobras refinery alone, which is in the installation phase, forecasts investment of US$ 13.3 billion.
One of the main attractions for those interested in investing in the hub is its privileged and strategic position in the Northeast of Brazil. The port is located just eight days away from the European coast and from the East coast of the United States, from where it can link into over 160 maritime routes. The draft of the external port is being increased from 15.5 to 20 meters, which should allow for the docking of tankers.
Contact
Telephone: (+55 81) 3527.5121
E-mail: presidencia@suape.pe.gov.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
