A Nigerian delegation made up of lawmakers and entrepreneurs visited port installations in Rio de Janeiro and Niterói, is southeastern Brazil, on Friday, June 30.
According to Antônio Carlos Soares, president of the Rio de Janeiro Dock Company, which administers the state port system, the delegation was primarily interested in observing the structure being built in the Port of Niterói to meet the expansion of the petroleum industry.
The Nigerians’ visit is the first step towards the establishment of partnerships between the Brazilian and Nigerian port systems, as well as an opportunity to promote trade agreements.
"They are here for the specific purpose of accompanying our experience, especially in the area of offshore activities," Soares remarked.
According to the executive, the Niterói unit will be one of the chief support bases for offshore production in Latin America and should begin operating in October of this year.
Besides supporting the activities of petroleum platforms in the Campos (Rio de Janeiro state) and Santos (São Paulo) basins, the port terminal will have an infrastructure to perform naval repairs.
This area is of interest to Nigeria, since it is Africa’s largest producer of petroleum, which accounts for 90% of its exports.
"Nowadays Brazil is becoming a world showcase in this sector (deep-sea petroleum production), and the Nigerians’ visit today is precisely to form closer ties and promote a greater exchange between Brazil, Nigerian ports, and Brazilian foreign trade," he said.
ABr