Antwerp, Porto do Açu Expand Ties with Inaugural Trans-Atlantic Ship Transit

General cargo vessel BBC Amethyst anchored in Porto do Açu, Brazil, last week, becoming the first ship to transit from Antwerp to the Brazilian sea port.

The inaugural port call is a milestone for Port of Antwerp International and the local partners who invested in Porto do Açu.

Since 2017, Port of Antwerp International, a subsidiary of the Antwerp Port Authority, has been a shareholder of and long-term consultant to the Port of Açu, which is located in the south-east of Brazil close to the major markets of Rio de Janeiro, Espirito Santo and Minas Gerais.

“Both our ports have deep expertise in breakbulk cargo and they both aim for sustainable growth,” Tessa Major, Commercial Director of Porto do Açu, said.

“The fact that the first cargo is project cargo for a sustainable energy project is really the cherry on the cake. We hope this successful case will in the near future lead to many more cargo streams between Antwerp and Açu.”

The first cargo transported from Antwerp to the Port of Açu aboard BBC Amethyst was a Siemens gas turbine, an essential component of the new thermoelectric power plant of GNA – Gás Natural Açu Ltda, which is a joint venture among Prumo (parent holding company Porto do Açu), BP and Siemens, aimed at converting LNG to electricity.