Cofco inaugurates first phase of terminal in Santos

The chinese giant is investing US\$ 285 million in STS11 (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

Cofco International is set to inaugurate the first phase of its new terminal at the Port of Santos, in STS11, later this month. Cofco's goal is to increase its annual export volume from the current 4.5 million tons to 14.5 million tons starting in 2026. To achieve this, the chinese giant is investing US\$ 285 million in STS11, which, when converted, is approximately R\$ 1.6 billion.

The company leased an area of 98,000 square meters on the Right Bank of the Port of Santos for 25 years, extendable up to the limit of a 70-year concession.

In a recent interview with A Tribuna, Cofco International's Operations Director, Sérgio Ferreira, stated that the Port of Santos is the company’s flagship in Brazil. Currently, the company operates between 4 million and 4.5 million tons in exports annually at T-12A. It is expected to increase to 14.5 million tons by 2026, including all the commodities in which Cofco has a stake in Brazil, which are soy, corn, meal, and sugar."

Cofco won the STS11 in a 2022 auction, and by the second half of that year, it had already begun demolishing the structures installed by previous tenants such as Bracel, Rodrimar, Eldorado, and Cereal Sul, which belonged to the Chinese company.

Currently, 90% of Cofco’s exports are destined for China, and the expectation is that the Asian country will continue to be the main importer.