Two studies have been put forward in respect of a new port on the Potengi River close to the city of Natal, in Brazil. Each would have a cost of around $300 million.

That put forward by the port authority, Codern, would have a quay some 1,000 metres long, while that favoured by the Strategic Centre of Natural Resources and Energy (Cerne) envisages 2,500 metres of berthing line.

The need for a new port is twofold: it will be located outside the city and will therefore have more space into which to expand than does the existing port and will also offer better access to both road and rail companies. Above all, it will allow large bulk carriers to call at the port. The thinking is to develop installations with a horizon of traffic development over the next 40–50 years.

Barry Cross