Mining and logistics investor Cedro Participações has garnered State Environmental Control Commission approval for the development of its Porto do Meio iron-ore terminal at the Port of Itaguaí, in the Greater Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area of Brazil.

Cedro says the environmental licence approval represents the project's most significant milestone to date, especially given the rigorous and decisive process Brazil has for port and infrastructure projects.

The licence covers an initial ore handling phase with volumes not exceeding 15-million tonnes a year.

Cedro has a signed lease agreement for the iron-ore terminal over a 35-year term, having won a federal auction for the area identified as ITG02 in 2024.

Cedro International chairperson Lucas Kallas comments Porto do Meio is not just a project for the next three or five years, but a strategic transformation vector for the coming decades that will significantly increase the competitiveness of the mineral industry in Brazil.

"This project reflects our vision for the coming years in Brazil's port and mining sectors. We aim to expand our iron-ore production and the terminal is essential to our growth plan through the beginning of the next decade. The terminal provides Cedro with independence in iron-ore exports," adds Cedro chairperson José Carlos Martins.

The Porto do Meio terminal, which is located between Vale and Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional's terminals in Itaguaí, will occupy an area of about 250 000 m², including a stockyard and berthing facility for vessels requiring water depths of up to 20 m. 

The terminal will be connected to the MRS Logística rail network, which links the Iron Quadrangle in Minas Gerais to the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, creating a new corridor for iron-ore transportation.

The construction works are expected to take three years and will include civil engineering, dredging, the supply and installation of port equipment, and electromechanical assembly. At the peak of construction, the project will generate about 3 000 jobs directly and indirectly. Once operational, the terminal will directly employ 256 people and generate about 1.2-billion reais in municipal tax revenue.

While the terminal is designed to accommodate Cedro's own production, the terminal will also be open to third parties.

As a result, mid-sized mining companies that currently rely on terminals operated by large groups or trading companies to export through Itaguaí will gain direct access to international markets. This means fewer intermediaries, long-term contracts, and greater predictability, as well as competitive logistics costs owing to the terminal's proximity to the Iron Quadrangle and its rail connections.