O BNDES (National Bank for Economic and Social Development) approved financing for R$848 million for Tecon Salvador, a subsidiary of Wilson Sons, aiming at the expansion and modernization of the container terminal at the Port of Salvador, the bank informed this Monday (3).
The resources will be used to expand the storage yard, purchase new equipment and infrastructure works and technological modernization, according to a statement.
With the project, Tecon Salvador should double its annual handling capacity, going from the current 553 thousand TEUs (unit equivalent to a container) to more than 1 million TEUs. The number of cargo movements at the dock must also increase from 70 to more than 100 containers per hour.
“The expansion of the Salvador terminal will contribute to reducing logistical bottlenecks, strengthening commercial integration between states in the Northeast, Center-West and part of the Southeast and North regions — especially Bahia, Minas Gerais, Goiás and Tocantins — and foreign markets, in addition to increasing the competitiveness of national exports”, said the president of BNDES, Aloizio Mercadante, in a note.
According to him, equidistant from the Panama Canal and Cape Horn, it allows efficient connections with maritime routes to Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.
“This initiative is in line with the commercial policy of the federal government and President Lula, which seeks to encourage the export of products with greater added value,” he added.
Wilson Sons’ financial director, Michael Connell, stated that the investments will generate jobs and income in Bahia and reinforce the company’s commitment to the region’s development.
