Key Facts
—The cargo. A single vessel of more than 110,000 tonnes of iron ore, now being stockpiled for the state’s first international shipment.
—The port. Porto Piauí at Luís Correia opened in December 2023 after a 110-million-real investment; iron ore is the first of four planned terminals.
—The miner. Lion Mining of Piripiri produces about 1.5 million tonnes a year at iron grades near 65 percent, with China as its main buyer.
—The workaround. A 9,000-tonne feeder ship transfers ore to a 110,000-tonne carrier at sea, a transshipment fix until the channel is dredged.
