Suape Port Development

Our Client
Since 1997, Suape - Industrial Port Complex Govenor Eraldo Gueiros has awarded Van Oord numerous dredging contracts for the development of the industrial port. Some of the contracts have been executed directly for the client, others have been executed in cooperation with Brazilian primary contractors, with Van Oord serving either as a subcontractor or as a full participant in the consortium with one or more local primary contractors.

Our Work
Our work started in 1995 with dredging the outer harbour and later opening the reef between the lagoon and open sea. In the years that followed the opening of the reef, the dredging and soil-improvement work for terminals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 was executed. The dredged material that was suitable for the purpose was reclaimed and channelled to the low-laying areas surrounding the port in order to facilitate industrial development. The unsuitable material was disposed of at sea in designated disposal areas.

In recent years, we dredged the access to the Estaleiro Sul shipyard, with the work being divided over two periods of time. Again, the suitable material was reclaimed and the unsuitable material properly disposed of at sea. The outer harbour was also recently dredged to a depth of 18.5 metres to allow bigger ships exporting and importing petrochemical and related products to enter the harbour.

Over the years, more than 25 millions m3 have been dredged. Recently executed projects include:

Quay wall no. 5 (over 14 million m³)
Estaleiro Altantico Sul (8 million m³)
Pier Petroleiro (2 million m³)

Our result
Over the years, Van Oord has followed the progress of the port's development and the contribution our dredging and reclamation projects have made to that development. The area is now home to numerous industries, which has generated a multitude of jobs and fostered the social development of the communities surrounding the port. Further development may lead the port into a leading position in the offshore and to offshore-related markets, as well as to the development of one of the largest industrial areas in Brazil.