Port of Sines, a major port in Portugal, and Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), a leading steel producer in Brazil, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as part of the Global Gateway initiative of the European Commission.
The agreement aims to establish the scope, rules, and guiding principles of the joint action to develop sustainable, green, and digital logistics corridors to support a strategy focused on three fundamental pillars: ‘logistics resilience’, ‘energy resilience’, and ‘physical and digital connectivity’.
The duo has also committed to attracting structuring investments and promoting industrial policy, providing particular opportunities for segments such as agribusiness, critical raw materials, and green hydrogen.
Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure, João Galamba, highlighted the importance of the deal for the promotion of the development of port infrastructure, transport and the realization of sustainable, green and digital logistics corridors, with the aim of increasing connectivity to a global scale.
The President of Sines Port Authority, José Luis Cacho , assured the commitment of the Sines Port Authority in achieving the objectives of the Memorandum and highlighted the competitive advantages of the Port of Sines in the promotion of Brazilian foreign trade towards Europe, highlighting Sines as gateway for Brazilian exports to Europe, particularly in the agri-food business.
For his part, the Director of the CSN, Pedro Brito do Nascimento , highlighted the importance of this cooperation especially in the energy area as well as safety and environment.
Under the MoU, Porto de Sines and CSN will collaborate on various fronts, including the exchange of technical knowledge, market information, and best practices. The partnership intends to foster joint research and development projects, as well as identify potential areas of collaboration in supply chain optimization, logistics, and infrastructure development.
The European Commission and the EU High Representative have introduced the Global Gateway, which aims to create smarter, cleaner, and more secure connections worldwide. This strategy focuses on improving digital, energy, and transport sectors, as well as strengthening health, education, and research systems.
The Global Gateway seeks sustainable and trustworthy connections addressing important global challenges like climate change, environmental protection, health security, and global competitiveness. It aims to foster collaborations and innovation while ensuring data privacy and protection in the digital sphere.
In the energy sector, the focus is on promoting renewable sources and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. In transport, the goal is to establish efficient and sustainable systems, such as electric vehicles and greener aviation.
The signing of the MoU between Porto de Sines and CSN marks an important step towards fostering closer ties between the Portuguese and Brazilian maritime and steel sectors. The collaboration between these two prominent entities has the potential to drive economic growth, boost trade flows, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the maritime and steel industries.