Debate Intensifies Over R$1 Billion Dry Port Investment in Ceará
Significant investments in Ceará's Porto Seco de Quixeramobim dry port spark debate over its economic viability and regional impact.
- • Porto Seco de Quixeramobim has attracted R$350 million in investments, with plans to reach R$1 billion.
- • The project's success depends on efficient integration with maritime ports according to Larry Carvalho.
- • Amílcar Silveira doubts the viability due to limited exportable products in Ceará.
- • The dry port is expected to include an industrial complex and boost Quixeramobim's GDP significantly.
Key details
The Porto Seco de Quixeramobim dry port in Ceará has attracted R$350 million in investments with projections to reach R$1 billion, fueling debate over its viability and economic impact. Launched in July 2025, the Quixeramobim facility is part of a longstanding discussion around three dry port projects in Ceará, aimed at enhancing logistical infrastructure through integration with the Transnordestina railway and tax incentives.
Lawyer Larry Carvalho emphasized the dry port's potential to reduce storage costs and improve Ceará’s competitiveness by creating an efficient multimodal corridor. However, he cautioned that the project's success depends on strong integration with maritime ports. Contrarily, Amílcar Silveira, president of the Ceará Agriculture and Livestock Federation, questioned the feasibility due to Ceará’s limited exportable products and suggested investing in logistics terminals without customs functions instead.
Ricardo Azevedo, CEO of the Value Group, stressed the necessity of a multipurpose dry port that includes an industrial complex to ensure profitability. Quixeramobim’s mayor, Cirilo Pimenta, envisions the project doubling local GDP within ten years by attracting diverse industries and fostering industrial growth. Currently, Brazil has 27 dry ports, mostly in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, with the North-Northeast region hosting only two.
This investment underlines persistent efforts to transform Ceará's logistics landscape, balancing visionary economic development ambitions against practical concerns about regional export capacity and infrastructure integration.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
