McQuilling Partners Group Announces its Participation in Ship Repair Initiative in Paraiba, Brazil
Dec. 16, 2013
New York/Rio de Janeiro – 16 December, 2013 – The McQuilling Partners Group is pleased to announce its participation in a project to implement the largest ship repair facility in South America.
The project, called Brasil Basin Drydock Company (BBDC), has the objective to build a ship repair yard in the northeast of Brazil capable of drydocking any vessel in the world merchant fleet. The facility, to be called Empressa de Docagens Pedra do Ingá (EDPI), will be located in the municipality of Lucena, just north of the port of Cabedelo in the state of Paraiba.
The new yard represents a US$ 800 million investment in infrastructure to serve the maintenance and repair needs of the world merchant fleet, in close proximity to major shipping lanes in the south Atlantic basin. Two large drydocks and one ship hydrolift/transfer facility will focus on the drydocking and repair needs of merchant vessels in Brazilian coastal trades; those importing and exporting to/from Brazil; and vessels passing through the south Atlantic basin, enroute to other ports.
In a ceremony held in the state capital of Joao Pessoa on 12 December, 2013 to announce the project, Paraiba governor Ricardo Coutinho said that the project represents “the biggest investment that this state has ever seen in the region.” Lucena Mayor Marcelo Sales Mendonça participated in the signing of protocols and summed up the sentiment by saying: “Our city from today is another.”
Celso P. Souza, project manager for the BBDC, indicated that first ship repairs should begin in about three years. “Initial geotechnical, hydrological and environmental studies have been completed and the land secured. The ship repair yard layout is essentially complete and the completion of basic design is anticipated”, Souza said, adding: “We have been in discussion with the environmental authorities SUDEMA and IBAMA in Paraiba and are in the process of applying for the preliminary license for the facility”.
McQuilling Services, the commercial advisory and consulting group within McQuilling Partners, has been responsible for overall project management of the BBDC since its inception in 2011 through concept, feasibility and now implementation stages. In 2013 McQuilling joined with Brazilian partners to progress the project to its next stage. Next steps will focus on capital raise for the project; and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), to be managed by Promon Engenharia, Ltda.
For more information about the BBDC or EDPI ship repair yard, please contact:
David J. Saginaw +1.516.227.5721 david.j.saginaw@mcquilling.com
Celso P. Souza +55.21.9605.7070 celso.p.souza@mcquilling.com