TX2 will accommodate the largest shipyard of Latin America and will be constructed by OSX Construção Naval S.A. The contract, worth approximately € 200 million, was awarded to Boskalis by LLX Açu Operações Portuárias S.A. and Construção Naval S.A., controlled respectively by LLX Logística S.A. and OSX Brasil S.A.

Both companies belong to the EBX group owned by Brazilian entrepreneur Eike Batista. Work on the project is expected to commence shortly and last for a total of two years. The scope of the work includes the dredging of an access and inner channel, turning basin and harbor basin as well as land reclamation work. Boskalis will also construct the revetments at the entrance of the harbor.

The total dredged volume will amount in excess of 43 million cubic meters, part of which will be used to reclaim land for the construction of the port facilities. Boskalis will deploy a jumbo cutter suction dredger, two large trailing suction hopper dredgers, a clamshell dredger and supporting marine equipment as well as dry excavation equipment.

Boskalis’ recent strategy update identified Brazil as one of the company’s focus regions.

Underlying growth factors in Brazil include the strong increase in exports of agricultural products and iron ore and major oil and gas discoveries which are fueling strong development of the Brazilian oil and gas industry.

Over the past few years Boskalis has successfully completed numerous marine infrastructure projects in Brazil. Furthermore, Boskalis has a strong local presence as a leading provider of harbor and terminal towage activities, offering services in six Brazilian ports through Rebras.

These developments present significant opportunities for Boskalis to contribute to the further development of port and oil and gas infrastructure and the provision of maritime services.

The Boskalis strategy is designed to benefit from the key macro-economic drivers that are fueling global demand in the company’s selected markets: global trade, increasing energy consumption, expanding population pressures and the challenges of changing climate conditions.

This port project reinforces the requirement for infrastructure to accommodate future trade volumes.

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors.

Wilson, Sons is one of Brazil’s largest port and maritime logistics operators. It has six operating segments: port terminals, towing, logistics, shipping, offshore activities and miscellaneous.

The plan’s capital expenditure items include: US$247 million to expand the Tecon Salvador container terminal and Rio Grande container terminal; US$382 million to purchase 40 new tugboats; US$842 million for offshore joint ventures; US$47 million for the Guarujá II shipyard expansion and US$155 million for the company’s Greenfield site in Rio Grande.

The plan excludes acquisitions and new concessions. For 2011 alone, expenditures will amount to US$260 million, according to the company’s quarterly results report. To finance the seven-year plan, US$450 million will be used from undrawn borrowing facilities, with additional resources coming from the merchant marine fund.

Wilson’s Chief Financial Officer, Felipe Gutterres, said the company’s business operations have great cash generation that will also be used for this financing. There is already a lot of financing security for this investment plan, Gutterres added.

The investment plan is for the organic growth of existing businesses supporting international trade, oil and gas, and the Brazilian domestic economy, the company said.

Wilson Sons Limited, through its subsidiaries, is one of Brazil’s largest providers of integrated port and maritime logistics and supply chain solutions.

With a business track record of over 170 years, the Company has developed an extensive national network and provides a comprehensive set of services related to domestic and international trade, as well as to the oil and gas industry.

Its principal operating activities are divided into the following lines of business: Port Terminals, Towage, Logistics, Shipping Agency, Offshore, and Shipyards.

Cezar Baiao, CEO of Operations in Brazil said the company believes the current expansion of its fleet, the container terminal in Salvador, and doubling of its shipbuilding capacity in Guaruja demonstrates its commitment to create value for its shareholders.

The realization of this investment plan will expand Wilson, Sons’ ability to deliver services of the highest quality, added Cezar.

The Company reported strong top-line growth, with net revenues of US$156.6 million, up 29% quarter-on-quarter, with volumes particularly strong in the Brasco oil and gas terminal, Logistics and Shipyards. Brasco revenue growth was an exceptional 120% compared to 1Q10, with both exploration and production activities increasing across our existing long-term clients.

All of TCP’s current shareholders – Pattac Empreendimentos e Participacoes S/A, TUC Participacoes Portuarias S/A, Soifer Participacoes Societarias Ltda., Grup Maritim TCB, S.L. and Galigrain S.A. – will retain ownership positions in the company, said the firm.

Under the deal, Advent’s investment, which is subject to regulatory approval, will enable TCP to pursue an aggressive expansion plan aimed at increasing its terminal capacity by approximately 70% through the construction of a third berth and purchase of new equipment. Grup Maritim TCB, a port terminal owner and operator, which currently supports TCP’s operations, will continue to provide advisory services to the company in this new phase of its development.

TCP operates the container terminal at the Port of Paranagua, the second-largest port in Brazil, with current activity of approximately 675,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) per year and a total area of more than 320,000 square meters. The company maintains a prominent position in international logistics, as it is a port of call for most container ships operating international and cabotage lines along the Brazilian coast. TCP’s services include loading and unloading of ships, bonded warehouses, monitoring of refrigerated containers (reefers) and container stuffing.

Brazil’s container market has grown more than 10% per year over the past 12 years and is expected to continue expanding at attractive rates in line with the projected increase in the country’s imports and exports. In the first nine months of 2010, Brazil transported 4.1 million TEUs, representing a growth of 14.2% compared with the same period of 2009. In the third quarter of 2010, Brazil transported a record 1.5 million TEUs.

David Simon, Chief Executive Officer of TCP, said that after analyzing several options, TCP concluded that an association with Advent International would enable it to accelerate its growth process and generate additional value in TCP, which will translate into better services for its clients.

TCP also plans to enter adjacent logistics segments in an effort to offer its clients a complete transportation solution, from merchandise removal to loading on ships. Advent International is one of the world’s leading global buyout firms, with offices in 17 countries on four continents.

According to the port administrator, as well the spokesman, the port has witnessed the arrival of large enterprises from the steel and thermoelectric industries, as well as the Transnordestina railroad. The increased enterprises thus necessitate the need for expansion of the Ceara port. The fresh investment sum comes in the wake of other projects that are pegged at 570 million reals the port is currently undertaking.

The projects already underway are meant to expand the port’s multipurpose terminal to meet the increasing demand. As it is, the project is increasing the port’s breakwater docking areas and shipyard, as well as instituting a conveyor system to handle coal cargo. The port’s new investment is thus meant to bolster the existing operational expansion projects and will run for another six years. The new infrastructural enhancements at the port will hike the terminal’s container movement capacity fivefold.

Pecem port is located approximately 60km from state capital Fortaleza, in Sao Goncalo do Amarante. The port was initially designed to serve the steel and oil sectors, but now handles containers and general cargo. According to the spokesman, the investment, spread over the coming six years will greatly improve the port’s offering vis a vis its operations.

The fact that huge arrivals from enterprises such as the steel and thermoelectric industries are taken through the port, the increased facility, with its better infrastructure stands to offer improved revenues from the business, said the administrator. Pecem port is used for the loading and off-loading of freight delivered by cargo ships from the world over. It has a terminal to handle this operation.

Ceará is one of the 27 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is currently the 8th largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the main touristic destinations in Brazil.

The announcement for the July 14th tender was made by Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at a ceremony yesterday. Even so, the tender will be officially published in the country’s gazette on July 14th, today, together with additional information on the government agency’s official site, the spokesman added yesterday. 

As such, the tender was today published and bid envelopes are expected to be submitted by the 29th of November 2010, with the tender to be subsequently awarded on 6th of December this year as well, ANTT director, Bernardo Figueiredo said.

The tender entails the construction of a 511 km railroad, which includes 90.9 km of tunnels and 103 km of bridges and overpasses. It is expected that the bullet train will operate at speeds of about 300 km/h to 350km/hr. Thus, the concession will be given to the bid that provides the lowest passenger fare and requires the least amount of public financing.

On the other hand, the Brazilian agency has set the fare for a one way ticket between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo, an economy class ticket, at about 150 reals to 200 reals. The bid has attracted infrastructure giant companies from around the globe with companies from Germany, Spain, France, China, Japan and Italy showing particular keenness for the tender.

The mega infrastructure development project is expected to have approximate gross operating revenue of 193 billion reals in the project’s 40 year concession time frame. The Brazilian state owned investment financier, BNDES, will fund about 70% of the investment’s cost.

However, the concessions for the major infrastructural development project are still being undertaken before being put out to tender, even though it is pegged at the 40 years time frame.  BNDES, the financier of more than half of the capital, is a Brazilian state owned Development Company that offers funds for projects within the country in addition to its key role in the privation programs undertaken by the Brazilian government; with an annual 2008 funding that topped 90.9 billion reals, representing a 40% growth when compared to the year 2007.

The Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo-Campinas bullet train project is in line with other similar major investment projects in road concessions, oil and gas amongst others that BNDES has funded.

The project, named Tiete-Phase III will be undertaken over a five year time frame. ARCADIS Logos has a 35% controlling stake in the five year contract. However, the total funding for the investment in the five year period amounts to US$1.1 billion, with its main target being to improve the environment and the quality of life for the population in the farthest northern and eastern sections of Sao Paolo.

The project will be made up of the construction of 1,250 km additional sewerage network, 580 km of main sewers and interceptors, and the increase of the sewage treatment capacity by 7.4 m³/s.  In the agreement, the project will be concluded in the year 2016 and will generate about 80,000 direct and indirect jobs.

On the other hand, the syndicate management team is expected to mobilize nearly 200 people. ARCADIS CEO, Manoel Antonio Avelino da Silva, said the company has considerably benefitted from the long term and successful partnerships with its clients and the contract with SABESP consolidates a relationship of over 30 years of services provided by ARCADIS to SABESP, and epitomizes the abundant opportunities the company has in the robustly growing Brazilian market.

SABESP  is a Brazilian state owned utility that provides water and sewage services to residential, commercial and industrial use in the São Paulo and in 367 of the 645 municipalities in São Paulo State, Brazil. It provides water to 25 million customers, or 60% of the population of the state.

ARCADIS is an international company providing consultancy, design, engineering and management services in infrastructure, water, environment and buildings. ARCADIS develops, designs, implements, maintains and operates projects for companies and governments. With 15,000 employees and EUR 1.8 billion in revenues, the company has an extensive international network supported by strong local market positions. ARCADIS supports UN-HABITAT with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world.