Brazilian Mining Giant to Support BBDC Project

Vale S.A, one of the largest mining companies in the world, has signed a cooperation agreement with McQuilling Partners Group aimed at supporting the implementation of the largest ship repair facility
in South America. The project, called Brasil Basin Drydock Company (BBDC), has the objective to build a ship repair yard in the northeast of Brazil capable of drydocking any vessel in the world merchant fleet, including the Valemax fleet of ore carriers. The facility, to be called Empresa de Docagens Pedra do Ingá (EDPI), will be located in the municipality of Lucena, just north of the port of Cabedelo in the state of Paraíba.

 McQuilling and Promon Engenharia, Ltda are founding partners of the BBDC project. The new yard represents a US$ 700 million investment in infrastructure to serve the maintenance and repair needs of the world merchant fleet, in close proximity to major shipping lanes in the south Atlantic basin.

Two large drydocks and one ship hydrolift/transfer facility will focus on the drydocking and repair needs of merchant vessels in Brazilian coastal trades; those importing and exporting to/from Brazil; and vessels passing through the south Atlantic basin, enroute to other ports.

 A substantial portion of this market is comprised of bulk carriers. Celso P. Souza, project manager for the BBDC, said: “We look forward to those insights on global bulk shipping and ship repair, which we think will be fully elaborated by a direct dialogue with Vale. We believe the EDPI ship repair yard will benefit considerably from a direct cooperation with Vale.”