By Maria Luiza de Sousa Mattos | Marimex Communications and Marketing Team
Marimex will build a new port terminal in the Valongo region of Santos, between Martins Fontes and Engenheiro Augusto Barata avenues. The main reason for this move is the construction of a railway loop at the site where the company's Bonded Terminal is currently located. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
The land was approved in August 2023, in partnership with the Port Authority of Santos (APS), and the transfer is expected to be completed within three years.
With an investment of approximately 350 million Brazilian Reals by Marimex, the site of the former Valongo Maritime Terminal (Teval) has a total area of 90,000 square meters, of which 25,000 will be allocated to covered warehouses for cargo and 65,000 to the yard. The project will continue to aim for excellence in its operations, running 24 hours a day, with seven vehicle entry and exit gates, 100% automated and controlled by a high-tech system, in addition to a new scanner for enhanced security.
The yard will have a capacity for 9,000 TEUs, operated by RTGs and Reach Stackers, and the three self-supporting warehouses will feature 25,000 square meters and 30,000 pallet positions. Additionally, there will be docks on both sides, and a handling area will allow for the simultaneous arrangement of 110 containers.
To preserve the historical and architectural value of a 5,700-square-meter warehouse located on the site, the company will undertake its restoration. Built in 1892 and listed by the Santos Cultural Heritage Defense Council (Condepasa), the building will continue to maintain its cultural importance. This new terminal will facilitate access for cargo vehicles and also promises to reduce handling time in operations.
It will feature areas designated for handling cargo controlled by ANVISA (National Health Surveillance Agency), MAPA (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply), IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources), and the Army, to operate all types of cargo requiring meticulous monitoring and oversight by regulatory bodies. OEA, ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and ECOVADIS certifications will reinforce the commitment to the quality of services provided and attention to client requirements.
The railway loop structure to be built will consist of a circular yard designed to allow cargo transshipment without disassembling trains. To make the project feasible, the Port Authority of Santos (APS) and Marimex signed an agreement for the exchange of areas: the company will cede its current land and, in return, will receive the equivalent area of the former Teval, to which it will be transferred. This repositioning will allow for a gradual expansion of the workforce, currently around 1,400 people, and, together with the construction of a viaduct and a new avenue that will create the second entrance to the Port of Santos, will make the new location a strategic point.
Currently, Marimex handles over 6,000 import containers and 900 export containers per month, totaling approximately 82,800 containers annually. With a predominant focus on imports, the company dedicates 85% of its operations to this segment and only 15% to exports, being responsible for 10% of imports entering through the Port of Santos and 5% of the national total. The new terminal will have a capacity for over 124,000 containers per year, allowing for a 50% increase in current capacity with the move to the new location.
