Ferroport, a Joint Venture Between Anglo American and Prumo, Sets Iron Ore Export Record at Port of Açu

Ferroport recorded 25.014 million tons of iron ore exports in 2024—the highest annual volume in a decade. The company, which operates the iron ore terminal at the Port of Açu in São João da Barra, northern Rio de Janeiro state, marked its 10th anniversary by announcing this new milestone, representing an increase of 1 million tons (4%) compared to the previous year.

The joint venture between Anglo American and Prumo Logística set a monthly throughput record in December, with 2.771 million tons of iron ore shipped aboard 17 vessels. In total, 148 ships docked at the terminal throughout 2024, placing Ferroport on pace for an annual throughput rate of over 30 million tons.

In 2024, Ferroport continued to advance its strategic initiative “Heading Toward 30!” a program that prepares all business areas for a future operating capacity of 30 million tons of iron ore annually.

Anglo American mines the iron ore handled by Ferroport at its site in Conceição do Mato Dentro (MG) and transported via a 529-kilometer slurry pipeline owned by Anglo. The ore travels through 33 municipalities before reaching the Port of Açu, where it undergoes filtration at Ferroport’s terminal and is stored before export.

With the 2024 record, Ferroport’s cumulative exports over its 10 years of operation reached 185.9 million tons. Over this period, more than 1,100 ships have docked at the terminal. The iron ore is primarily exported to China and Bahrain, with additional destinations including Mexico, Japan, the Netherlands, India, Algeria, the United States, and several countries across Europe and Africa, such as Egypt. For comparison, in 2015—Ferroport’s first full year of operation following its launch in October 2014—exports totaled approximately 8 million tons.

“Ferroport aims for increasingly efficient and sustainable operations, positioning itself as a national benchmark in port terminals and strengthening Brazil’s connection to global markets,” said Ferroport CEO Carsten Bosselmann. “Our Asset Management Program, launched in 2024, has helped reduce the risk of unplanned downtime while maximizing efficiency. We consistently prioritize safety for our team and assets, implementing cutting-edge monitoring technologies, safety training, and rigorous operational procedures.”

To modernize its infrastructure, the company invested approximately R$125 million in 2024 alone, totaling more than R$500 million over the past decade of terminal operations. Most recently, Ferroport began automating its stockyard equipment, integrating innovation, technology, and safety to boost operational efficiency.

Among the 2024 operational highlights, Ferroport achieved excellent Intrinsic Availability (IA) of its shiploading system, exceeding 94% (up from 92.5% in 2023). The global operational rate averaged 6,600 tons/hour, a 5% year-on-year increase, with the effective rate exceeding 81% of the system’s nominal capacity (8,137 t/h).

The company also demonstrated exceptional performance in ore stacking and receiving, with nearly 100% IA (99.94%), enabling robust capacity to receive, store, and manage all the ore produced by Anglo American. Coupled with the mine’s production capabilities, Ferroport’s stockpiling, blending, and quality control planning enabled cargo deliveries with a record quality compliance rate of over 97%.

Source: Revista OE

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