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The export cargo throughput increased 45% in the last two years in the four ports managed by the Rio de Janeiro State Port Authority. Last year, 32 million tons were shipped through Sepetiba, Niterói, Angra dos Reis and Rio de Janeiro port terminals.
The volume is expected to increase to 40 million tons this year, according to forecasts by the company president, Antônio Carlos Soares.
Soares attributed great part of the performance to the federal government plan to improve infrastructure and the competitiveness of the port terminals of the state of Rio de Janeiro.
"President Lula's government decided to face the question of infrastructure deficiency in our ports," said Soares. The company is linked to the federal government, and is in charge of managing the ports in Rio.
According to the executive, from 2002 to the end of this year, the ports in the state will have received investments of US$ 49 million. The greatest part, however, US$ 43.8 million, was forecasted for the period between September last year and the end of this year.
According to Soares, of the total, US$ 22.3 million will be invested in the dredging of Rio, Niterói and Sepetiba harbours. The remainder will be used to improve operational safety in the terminals, automation and to pave the internal tracks.
As a result of the improvement measures, the Porto of Rio de Janeiro, which is under the company, made yesterday the first shipment of General Motors and Volkswagen cars to the United States and Europe. It is the first time the terminal is used for car exports by these companies, and to these destinations.
The automobile shipments should help the ports increase their exports in 2005. Last year, the vehicles exports through the terminal increased in 86% in relation to the previous year. In all 82,000 cars were shipped abroad.
Soares' forecast for this year indicates exports of 150,000 vehicles, almost twice as much. "This increase is a clear demonstration that the Port of Rio de Janeiro is competitive and also that Brazilian automobiles are competitive in an international level," he stated.
Translated by Silvia Lindsey
ABr
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