Transpetro is evaluating the possibility of joining a new port infrastructure project being developed in Espírito Santo to expand its ship-to-ship oil and derivatives transshipment operations. The agreement, based on a memorandum of understanding signed with the Imetame Group, aims for Transpetro to lease two docking berths at the multipurpose port being constructed by Imetame in the municipality of Aracruz.

With this new infrastructure, Transpetro will be able to offer ship-to-ship operations with ships docked for the first time in the state. The goal is to provide the market with a new alternative for oil transportation from the Santos Basin, Campos Basin, and Espírito Santo, contributing to the optimization of the country's exports. This move will expand Transpetro’s logistics solution portfolio and strengthen its position as the leader in Brazil's ship-to-ship market.

“We are evaluating this partnership to expand logistics solutions in Espírito Santo, meeting the needs of the oil and gas sector. The state has a strategic location, favoring shipping routes and product flow. Once the agreement with Imetame is finalized, we will be able to expand our strategic reach, especially in the Southeast, close to the Campos and Santos Basins, and Espírito Santo,” highlights Gustavo Rosindo, Executive Manager of New Business Development and Commercialization at Transpetro.

“Our port complex is under construction, and our goal is to provide high-quality service to users. To do so, it is not enough to increase the operational capacity of the port system but also to develop partnerships with operational expertise in the types of cargo to be handled at the port. This partnership, which may be finalized in 2025 with Transpetro, aligns with our expectation to begin operations with high performance, safely and sustainably. We believe in the consolidation of this agreement and will make every effort necessary for Imetame Logística Porto to add value to the entire oil and gas chain,” says Gilson Pereira (photo), CEO of Imetame Logística Porto.

The agreement between the companies has gone through technical evaluation and negotiation stages. The next phases involve presenting the logistics solution to the market, which will take place over the coming months, with completion expected by the end of the first half of 2025.

The project under evaluation

The Imetame Group’s project, currently under construction, will feature two piers with structures to accommodate large vessels. In the first phase, the infrastructure will serve Suezmax-class vessels, with a capacity of 1 million barrels and a depth of 17 meters. In the second phase, the berth will be able to accommodate VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) ships, with a capacity of 2 million barrels and a depth of 25 meters. The development will be adjacent to the Barra do Riacho Terminal (TABR), operated by Transpetro.

Leader in ship-to-ship operations

Transpetro stands out as the leader in Brazil’s ship-to-ship market (oil and derivatives transshipment between ships) and is among the largest global providers of this service. The company operates in 13 locations in Brazil (Coari, Manaus, Codajás, Novo Remanso, Itacoatiara, São Luís, Mucuripe, Pecém, Suape, Baía de Todos os Santos, Angra dos Reis, São Sebastião, and Rio Grande), accounting for 70% of the national operation in 2024 alone.

This dominance reflects Transpetro’s presence from north to south of the country and its capacity to meet the oil and gas sector's logistical needs with efficiency and safety. This logistics option, which eliminates the need for liquid bulk discharge and storage in land tanks, can reduce product handling costs by up to 30%.

The company continues to evaluate participation in other projects in Brazil, in line with its goal to resume growth in investments and partnerships.

About Transpetro - Operating 48 terminals (27 aquatic and 21 land-based), around 8,500 kilometers of pipelines, and 33 ships, Transpetro is the largest subsidiary of Petrobras. The company is the largest multimodal logistics provider of oil, derivatives, and biofuels in Latin America.

Transpetro provides services to distributors, the petrochemical industry, and other oil and gas sector companies. The subsidiary of Petrobras has a portfolio of over 160 clients.

About Imetame - The Imetame Group has been in operation for 44 years, and consists of a group of companies with over 4,500 employees, headquartered in Aracruz, Espírito Santo. It operates in markets such as metalworking, ornamental stones, energy, and oil and gas.

The Imetame Logística Porto project, under construction, will be a Private Terminal Complex, designed to serve various productive sectors, including specialized terminals for different types of cargo and services, such as containers, bulk solids, general cargo, and liquid bulk and gases.

With an initial depth of 17 meters, reaching 25 meters in later stages, it will have infrastructure to accommodate the largest and most modern ships in the world in Espírito Santo, creating alternatives for long-haul routes. The port construction works are in advanced stages, with an initial operational test structure expected in the second half of 2025 and full operations to commence, with all necessary approvals, ISPS Code certification, and customs clearance by mid-2026.