The Brazilian minister for Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, was quoted by the local press as saying that another area in the Port of Itaguaí, a state of Rio de Janeiro, will be up for sale in an auction in October.
The information refers to an area, ITG 02, located between the terminals of Vale and CSN in the port.
ITG 02, also known as “The Middle Area”, has an area of 349,000 square meters and will require investments estimated at $600 million for its development.
The location is disputed by the smaller mines located in the neighbor state of Minas Gerais as the terminal has railroad connection, via MRS Logistics, to the iron ore mines located in the “iron ore polygon” of Minas Gerais.
Under the guidelines of the auction, the preference will be ascribed to miners other than Vale and CSN as an alternative to increase the autonomy of the small miners, which usually sell their ore to these giant miners.
The auction still depends on the approval of its guidelines by the union accounts court (TCU).