São Paulo – The Pecém Complex, in the state of Ceará, Brazil, signed a cooperation agreement last week with the Sohar Port and Free Trade Zone, located in Oman. The complex in Ceará comprises an industrial area, a port (pictured above), and an export processing zone (EPZ); it reported the agreement with the Omanis would provide for commercial and technical cooperation between the industrial and port terminals. Both have the Port of Rotterdam as a shareholder.
The agreement was signed by the CEO of Sohar, Mark Geilenkirchen, and the vice president of operations at the Pecém Complex, Cornelis Hulst, in a virtual ceremony. Geilenkirchen said Sohar is eager to learn about the logistics used by the Port of Pecém to export food, especially fruit, shipping from the Brazilian terminal to several countries worldwide. Sohar houses one of the world’s largest mineral terminals, built for operations by the Brazilian company Vale, mentioned at the meeting.
The president of the Pecém Complex, Danilo Serpa, stated that with the agreement, it is expected that the Port of Pecém, located in a strategic position between the United States and Europe, will also create important connectivity between Europe and Asia, hence taking advantage of the full potential of the Middle East. According to Serpa, Pecém has the sole operating EPZ in Brazil and exports steel slabs to over 20 countries.
Other Brazilian and Omani authorities participated in the ceremony. The agreement will allow industrial and port complexes to collaboratively improve their global maritime and logistics operations, fulfilling common objectives, including exploring joint business opportunities, exchanging knowledge, and developing green hydrogen and other renewable energy technologies.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
