Port of Tubarao
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The Port of Tubarão is a port in Espírito Santo, Brazil. It mainly handles iron ore, but also coal.
Location
The port is near the city of Vitória in Espírito Santo, along the Atlantic Ocean.
Background
The port was created in 1966 by the Brazilian mining company Vale to export iron ore extracted from the "Iron Quadrangle" in the state of Minas Gerais. Tubarao moves about 35 percent of Vale's more than 300 tonnes of annual iron ore exports and is also home to a Brazilian unit of ArcelorMittal SA, the world's largest steelmaker.[1] In 2013 it had capacity of 125 million tonnes.[2]
In the first nine months of 2015, 8.9 million tonnes of metallurgical coal was imported through the port for ArcelorMittal and other steel producers.[3]
In October 2020, Vale was making plans to invest more than $70 million in the port.[4] In recent years the port has been shipping approximately 120 million tonnes of shipments[5] and has a new executive, Eduardo Bartolomeo, who has a focus on increasing iron and coal by using rail, vessel loaders, and timely maintenance of facilities.[6] Vale expects coal production and shipments to increase throughout 2021.[7]
Pollution
On January 21, 2015, a Brazilian federal court ordered the suspension of activities at Vale SA's Port of Tubarão until pollution concerns are fixed. A few days later a Brazilian appeals court overturned the decision and gave Vale 60 days to prepare a pollution control plan for its iron ore and coal terminals at the port. The court rulings follow a police investigation of Vale’s port operations after the devastating collapse in October 2015 of a tailings dam at Vale and BHP Billiton’s Samarco iron ore mine in the neighbouring state of Minas Gerais.[8]
In 2016 and 2017, coal and mineral dust pollution from the terminal continued to raise concerns about risks to public health. In January 2016, Vale was ordered to suspend operations at two of its Tubarao piers, including its coal pier, pending investigation of black dust found at the site.[9] In September 2017, Brazil's Federal Public Prosecutor's Office upheld a ruling by the 2nd Regional District Court calling for continued suspension of operations pending expert evaluation of the terminal's dust containment systems and procedures.[10]
As of February 2019, local environmental groups were still fighting against the pollution of "black powder" coming from the iron ore and other contaminants at the port.[11]
Details of coal handling
- Owner: Vale, ArcelorMittal
- Location: Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Coal Capacity (Tonnes per annum): 12 million
- Status: Operating
- Start year: 1966
- Type: Imports
- Source of Coal:
Articles and resources
References
- ↑ "Vale wins order reopening iron port; has 60 days to fix problems," reuters, Jan 25, 2016
- ↑ "Port of Tubarão in Brazil, Vale’s first port operation, undergoes modernization," Vale, 12/4/2013
- ↑ Bob Burton, "Brazil court sets deadline on coal port pollution cleanup," CoalWire 118, January 28, 2016
- ↑ "BNamericas - Brazil's Vale to invest over US$700mn in Tubarao". BNamericas.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ↑ "Port of Tubarão, in Vitoria: 49 years of history". www.vale.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ↑ "Mining Profile: Eduardo Bartolomeo, CEO, Vale | Supply Chain & Operations | Mining Global". Mining Global. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ↑ "4Q20 Production Report". www.vale.com. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ↑ "Brazil court orders closure of Vale's Tubarão iron ore port," Reuters, Jan 22, 2015
- ↑ "Vale recorre contra interdição e alega prejuízo de R$ 35 milhões," O Globo, Jan 23, 2016
- ↑ "MPF: perícias devem avaliar contenção de pó de carvão e minério no porto de Tubarão (ES)" Ministerio Público Federal, Sept 20, 2017
- ↑ EJOLT. "Claiming against "black powder" at Tubarão Port in Vitória, Brazil | EJAtlas". Environmental Justice Atlas. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
