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China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the Chinese state-owned infrastructure conglomerate, has recently announced that it will invest in the multi-cargo Private Use Terminal (TUP) to be built in the city of São Luís, capital of Maranhão, Brazil.

According to sources CCCC will invest R$400 million (US$113 million) in the terminal as a partner of WTorre. In addition to the Chinese commitment, the project will raise R$1.2 billion (US$342 million) in debt to be paid with revenues from the project. The project will require investments of R$1.5 billion (US$427 million), of which R$ 780 million (US$222 million) in the first phase of the construction.

In January, the Brazilian Secretariat of Ports (SEP) and WTorre SA, through its special purpose vehicle (SPV) WPR St. Louis Ports and Terminals Management, signed an agreement for the authorization for the construction and operation of the new Private Use Terminal.

The Brazilian conglomerate will have up to three years to build the terminal. The construction work is scheduled to begin in the second half of this year.

The facility will be a multipurpose terminal that will bring together the movement of dry bulk, liquid bulk and general cargo with annual handling capacity of 24.8 million tons. The port will have 6 berths with natural draft of 18 meters.

The project will be developed in an area of ​​2 million square meters, with direct access to the federal highway BR-135 (connecting Maranhão to Minas Gerais) and Carajás and Transnordestina railways.

The capital of Maranhão has been chosen by its privileged geographical location. It is close to European, American and Asian markets, via the Panama Canal, whose expansion is about to be opened.