PALFINGER MARINE supports Brazil’s waterway transport with advanced maritime solutions
PALFINGER MARINE is contributing to a major project in Brazil that aims to enhance the efficiency of mineral transport along waterways. The cranes installed on pusher boats will support Brazil’s broader strategy to revitalize its shipbuilding industry. With this extensive order, PALFINGER MARINE is expanding its presence in Latin America as a strategic partner to the maritime industry while addressing regional needs.
PALFINGER MARINE will deliver eight Stiff Boom Cranes PS 15500M for four inland navigation vessels to the Brazilian shipyard Estaleiro Rio Maguari (ERM). This contributes to the optimization of inland navigation in Latin America (LATAM) along the Paraguay-Paraná waterway. The cooperation between PALFINGER MARINE and ERM is part of a large-scale inland waterway transport project led by LHG Logística, the logistics arm of the Brazilian mining company LHG Mining. The project includes the construction of 400 barges and 15 pusher boats to support iron ore transport.
In the future, those boats will travel 2,500 kilometers along the waterway to Uruguay, where minerals will be transferred to ocean-going vessels. The pusher tug project is designed by the Canadian company Robert Allan Ltd., a global leader in ship design. PALFINGER MARINE’s cranes onboard the pusher boats will be used to support operations, maintenance, and load movements on deck. The delivery of the first cranes will start in early summer this year and be completed at the beginning of 2026.
Large-scale cooperation of strategic importance
"This project is a continuation of our partnership with ERM, who have already commissioned us as a supplier for similar projects in recent years. In this case, we are making a significant contribution to increasing the efficiency of Brazilian mining logistics," says Ramiro de Queiroz Martins Silva, Sales Manager AMERICAS at PALFINGER MARINE. He adds:
"PALFINGER MARINE's expansion in Latin America is not only about increasing market presence but also about addressing regional needs for advanced maritime solutions. The LATAM market is unique due to its extensive inland waterways, the strategic importance of cabotage navigation and its continental marine coverage."
Brazil's maritime industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by strategic developments in coastal transportation and offshore energy projects. The country’s government aims to improve the regional competitiveness in global commodity markets leveraging its vast coastline for sustainable logistics. As part of its strategy, the focus lays on reviving the local maritime industry to utilize the cost advantages of waterways as transport routes. With this project, PALFINGER MARINE is expanding its presence in LATAM and positioning itself as a manufacturer and supplier of essential maritime infrastructure that enables enhancing efficiency and sustainability in logistics.
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