Port Complex

Espírito Santo has one of the most efficient port networks in Latin America, made up of seven ports, which in 1996 were responsible for 25% of the total volume of goods passing through Brazilian ports and for 12% of foreign exchange earnings. The network, which in 1996 handled 97,55 million tons, is integrated with various international ports and is also connected with a road and rail transport system which facilitates the flow of goods. The port of Tubarão, in Camburi, Vitória, is the biggest iron ore export port in the world. It is operated by the Vale do Rio Doce Company, which exports 80 million tons of minerals every year. The quays cover 20 km2 and are served by 3 thousand vehicles and 60 different bus lines. The port also has five silos, with a total storage capacity of 200,000 tons of grain.

Espírito Santo is linked with the Centre West, South East and North East regions of Brazil through the road and rail transport system. The state is part of the Centre East Corridor, formed in 1991 when an agreement was signed between the governments of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, teh Federal District of Brasília and Minas Gerais, and later Tocantins, Rondônia and Maranhão. Managed by a private operating group, the corridor is used for the transport of grain and other goods originating from these states, which are then exported through the ports of Espírito Santo.