Brazil miner and iron ore producer Vale said this week it is expanding its Ponta da Madeira port terminal (TMPM) in the city of Sao Luis in the state Maranhao, so it could become the world’s largest port terminal.
The port is expected to be completed in 2018, according to Vale, and once complete the terminal will receive the iron ore Vale will produce at its S11D project in Canaa dos Carajas, in the state of Para.
Vale said its expanding port will surpass Australian ports in terms of loading capacity.
TMPM is Brazil’s No. 1 port in terms of cargo handling, according to Vale. The company exported 87.9 million mt of the commodity from the accumulated period of January to September 2015, 13 percent up from the same period of the year prior.
TMPM has a loading capacity of 150 million mt/year, but in 2018 it should have a 230 million mt/year capacity.