Port of Itaqui is a Brazilian port located in the city ofSão Luís, Maranhão. It is not to be confused with the city of Itaqui, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, near the border with Argentina. The main cargoes include aluminum ingots and bars, pig iron, general, dry and liquid bulk cargoes, soybean and copper. The hinterland of the Port of Itaqui encompasses the states of Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins, southwestern Pará, northern Goiás, northeastern Mato Grosso, and western Bahia.
History
In 1939 studies developed by Departamento Nacional de Portos, Rios e Canais – DNPRC in the Ministério da Aviação e Obras Públicas pointed the Itaqui Region as a good place for a new port in Maranhão due to its sheltering waters and excellent water depth near the coast. However, the port building started only in 1966. In July 1974 the new port facilities started working under the management of the Companhia Docas do Maranhão – Codomar. In 2000, management of the Port of Itaqui was passed to the Maranhão state government. The Empresa Maranhense de Administração Portuária – EMAP, a privately heldpublic company, was established to manage and exploit São José de Ribamar Wharf, the ferry-boat terminals of Ponta da Espera and Cujupe, besides the Port of Itaqui.
Location
The port of Itaqui can be reached by highway, railway, plane, river and of course by sea.
Facilities
A wharf which is 1,616 m long and 9 m up deep.
Six berths with water depths ranging from 9.5 m to 19 m.
Four vertical silos for grains with a total capacity of 12,000 tons.
One horizontal silo for grain with a capacity of 8,000 tons.
Eight vertical silos with a total capacity of 7,200 tons.
Sixty-six tanks for liquid bulk cargo with a total tank volume of 320,000 m³.
Two spheres for storing LPG with a total volume of 8,680 m³.
One operational tanker wharf.
Equipment
Three reach stackers for container handling.
a 64 tons and a 104 tons capacity load crane for dry bulk cargo, containers and bulk cargo.
Two ship loaders.
Twenty stackers.
Supporting Facilities
Electric power as well as water and fuel supplies are available. Piloting is provided by Servprat – Serviços de Praticagem da Baía de São Marcos Ltda. Tugboating is available from TUG BRASIL, Consórcio de Rebocadores da Baía de São Marcos, Internacional Marítima, and Smith rebras.
Private Terminals
The Maranhão Port Complex includes two private terminals, the Ponta da Madeira Terminal and the Alumar Terminal.
