Tubarão Complex, Vale’s operational site in Vitória, in southeast Brazil, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. The complex is home to railway, pelletising and port operations, and it ships out around one-third of the company’s iron ore exports from Brazil.
The complex’s history began in 1966, when Vale transferred its port activities from the Atalaia and Paul jetties in the neighbouring city of Vila Velha to a new site, able to meet growing demand for iron ore. The Port of Tubarão, connected to the Vitória-Minas Railway from the very start, has been the driving force behind Vale’s activities in the state of Espírito Santo and the springboard for the state to diversify from coffee growing into other industrial and commercial activities.
Always ahead of its time, the Port of Tubarão had an unusually large capacity when it opened. It was designed to receive 150,000-t-capacity ships, although few vessels at that time had a tonnage of more than 60,000 t. The port has played a key role in transporting Vale’s growing output – rising from 2.9 Mt of iron ore in 1966 to 120 Mt of iron ore and pellets last year. It has earned an important place in the history of the company, Espírito Santo and Brazil. Tubarão now receives around 1,100 ships per year, including the world’s largest ore carriers, called Valemax ships, which are capable of carrying up to 400,000 t.
When the first iron ore pelletising plant was installed in 1969, the port was transformed into Tubarão Complex. Besides handling iron ore, the complex also contains Praia Mole Terminal, which handles coal, coke and manganese; the Bulk Liquids Terminal, which imports fuels; and the Miscellaneous Goods Terminal, which handles grains and fertilisers.
Covering 14 km, Tubarão Complex is also home to eight pelletizing plants and the Vitória-Minas Railway’s control centre, which manages the transportation of more than 60 kinds of products, including iron ore, steel, soybeans, coal and limestone, along 905 km of tracks, representing approximately 40% of Brazil’s entire railway cargo. Every day, Tubarão receives around 20,000 people, including employees, contractors, customers and suppliers. It works like a town, operating 24/7. In addition to the port, railway and plant operational facilities, there are also administrative buildings, five canteens (which serve roughly 7,000 meals per day), bank branches and a post office.
Vale’s presence in Espírito Santo, and especially the construction of Tubarão Complex, helped to attract other companies to the state, such as pulp company Aracruz Celulose (now Fibria) and steelmaker Companhia Siderúrgica de Tubarão (now ArcelorMittal Tubarão) – indeed, Vale was directly involved in founding the latter company. The creation of Vitória Industrial Centre in Serra and the establishment of various other businesses are also the results of post-Tubarão Vale.
The state’s economy nearly tripled in size in 20 years, from $3.89 billion in the 1970s to $10.5 billion in the 1990s.
Vale also maintains some important social and environmental assets in Espírito Santo, such as the Vale Museum, the Vale Botanical Park, the Vale Natural Reserve, a passenger trains service, and a recreational and sports centre.
