Porto Sudeste, which has been operating in Sepetiba Bay since 2015, has launched a new phase of expansion with the construction of so-called dolphins, structures that will be incorporated into the terminal’s liquid bulk operations for oil and refined products. The move strengthens the port’s role in an increasingly relevant logistics chain, expands operating capacity and supports the flow of strategic cargoes, especially those linked to Brazil’s pre-salt fields. The project was already предусмотрed in the venture’s installation license, originally issued in 2012 and updated in 2023, and follows the growth of oil movements in the country.
“Oil production continues to grow, and that changes the logistics game. With more crude to move and export, demand rises for transshipment operations and for solutions that can scale up while reducing queues and waiting times. To keep pace, we need more logistics capacity. Porto Sudeste comes in as an alternative to unlock cargo flows with predictability and safety,” said Ulisses Oliveira, Porto Sudeste’s director of corporate affairs and sustainability.
What are dolphins?
Despite the unfamiliar name, dolphins are part of the routine at major port terminals. They are offshore structures built at sea that serve as support points for vessels during cargo operations. They function as berthing and mooring areas, helping keep ships stable while cargo is transferred. At Porto Sudeste, they will be used for ship-to-ship transshipment operations, involving the transfer of crude oil produced at offshore fields between vessels berthed alongside each other. In total, the project provides for the installation of six mooring structures, two berthing structures and one support platform equipped with electrical and firefighting systems.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the coming days. Specialized marine equipment such as barges and port tugboats will be used to carry out the work. One barge will remain fixed at the installation site, within an existing navigation exclusion area defined by nautical signaling. The vessel is equipped with cranes, pile-driving hammers and support items for the works. Three smaller barges will transport materials from the yard at Coroa Grande to the construction site, using a direct route along the existing navigation corridor, with minimal interference in local operations.
To maintain navigational safety, temporary yellow lighted buoys have been installed to mark the work area. The signaling meets requirements established by the Brazilian Navy and was approved by the Rio de Janeiro Port Captaincy through its local office in Itacuruçá.
The work will be carried out Monday through Saturday, continuously, within the sound-emission limits and time periods defined by law, with ongoing acoustic and environmental monitoring. Throughout the implementation period, a specialized team will conduct daily inspections to verify compliance and monitor operations.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of December 2026, establishing a new line of business at Porto Sudeste and expanding the terminal’s role in the region’s logistics dynamics.
Source: Porto Sudeste
