Terminal Marítimo de Ponta da Madeira
Encyclopedia
The Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal, owned by mining company CVRD
, sits next to the public port of Itaqui, in the state of Maranhão
, in northern Brazil
. It was chosen as the terminus of the Estrada de Ferro Carajas, where trains unload iron ore for shipping overseas, mainly to Europe and Eastern Asia. The terminal, abutting the Bay of Sao Marcos (St. Mark) has a natural draft
of 26 meters (86 feet) at low tide; 14m (46') tides proved a significant problem thanks to the strong currents generated, but those were circumvented through the placement of underwater concrete "breakers."
The terminal and Itaqui port are still primarily iron ports, but have increasingly also turned to other cargoes, especially bulk agricultural goods. The smallish container patio is dwarfed by the piles and holding areas of the iron wharves, capable of handling ships up to 500m long and 500,000 metric tons in dead weight.
In recent years, CVRD has announced its intention to build huge steelworks next to the terminal; this has been the subject of much criticism for its environmental effects, particularly upon the nearby state capital, São Luís
, whose colonial nucleus is an UNESCO World Heritage Site
.
CVRD
CVRD can stand for:* Vale , formerly known as Companhia Vale do Rio Doce * Comox Valley Regional District, a regional government in British Columbia, Canada...
, sits next to the public port of Itaqui, in the state of Maranhão
Maranhão
Maranhão is a northeastern state of Brazil. To the north lies the Atlantic Ocean. Maranhão is neighbored by the states of Piauí, Tocantins and Pará. The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent...
, in northern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It was chosen as the terminus of the Estrada de Ferro Carajas, where trains unload iron ore for shipping overseas, mainly to Europe and Eastern Asia. The terminal, abutting the Bay of Sao Marcos (St. Mark) has a natural draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 26 meters (86 feet) at low tide; 14m (46') tides proved a significant problem thanks to the strong currents generated, but those were circumvented through the placement of underwater concrete "breakers."
The terminal and Itaqui port are still primarily iron ports, but have increasingly also turned to other cargoes, especially bulk agricultural goods. The smallish container patio is dwarfed by the piles and holding areas of the iron wharves, capable of handling ships up to 500m long and 500,000 metric tons in dead weight.
In recent years, CVRD has announced its intention to build huge steelworks next to the terminal; this has been the subject of much criticism for its environmental effects, particularly upon the nearby state capital, São Luís
São Luís, Maranhão
São Luís is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on Ilha de São Luís in the Baía de São Marcos , an extension of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru and other rivers. Its coordinates are 2.53° south, 44.30° west...
, whose colonial nucleus is an UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.