(EnergyAsia, March 31, Monday) — ‘Coaltrans Brazil’ will be held at the Sofitel Hotel in Rio de Janeiro from May 12 to 13.

The rapidly growing economies of India and China, as well as Brazil’s increasing domestic demand for steel, continues to drive the growth of steel production, said organisers CoalTrans Conferences.

An additional 21.9 million tonnes per year of steel production is expected to push the country’s steel production to 59 million tonnes by 2012. Together with thermal power projects, a 25% increase in coal requirements over the next two years is anticipated. Latin America plans to increase coke production capacity over the next two years by 3.93 million tonnes.

As coal imports increase by 32% over the next two years and new slabs-for-export projects come on line, the strains on port infrastructure will be higher than ever. This, combined with the volatility of the freight markets, make this year’s logistics session a key focus for procurers of raw materials in Brazil.

Thermal coal in Brazil’s energy sector has traditionally played a relatively small role, but times are changing. Concern over energy security has led to the planned development of coastal power plants using imported thermal coal, making thermal power developments a major talking point for Brazil’s coal users.

‘Coaltrans Brazil’ provides a unique platform for discussion, uniting BSMs with the producers, traders and shippers of met coal, as well as focusing strongly on the need for energy security in Brazil.

The conference will explore current and future developments in the Brazilian steel and new capacity and expected coal requirements, examine new opportunities and challenges for coking coal procurement in the Latin American metallurgical industry, provide delegates with insights into the expanding role of thermal coal in the country’s energy industry, analyse key fundamentals in freight and logistics and provide networking opportunities for the consumers and producers of coal in the market.

Speakers include Luiz Fernando Sarcinelli Garcia (Sage Consultoria Tecnica), Rinaldo Campos Soares and Eduardo Costa de Faria (USIMINAS), Renato Paladino, Fabio Brasileiro and James Pessoa (Vale), Jackson Chiabi Duarte (ArcelorMittal Tubarão), Edmo Chagas (UBS Pactual), Lucio Teixeira Coelho (Comexport), Graham Wailes (AME Mineral Economics), Douglas Fagundes Moreira (Solid Fuels), Franz Blancquaert (ArcelorMittal), Richard McLaughlin (Hatch Beddows), John Hogg (Western Canadian Coal Corp), Terry Hale (Patriot Coal Company), Jairo Caicedo (C. I. Milpa S. A.),  Australian junior miners, Kevin Kanamori (QCoal Pty Ltd), Peter Malpas (Braemar Seascope Group), Marcelo Perrupato (Ministry of Transport, Brazil),

Pedro Brito do Nasciment (Special Secretariat of Ports, Government of Brazil), Paulo Manoel Lenz Cesar Protasio (ANUT), Ricardo Atunes (LLX Logistica SA), Henrique Rodrigues (Fertimport S.A.), Stirling Leech (Clyde & Co), Andrew Jones (Resource-Net), Diamantino A. Carvalho (SOL Coqueria Tubarão), Arun Kumar Jagatramka (Gujarat NRE Coke Ltd), Gennady Lotsman (JSC Siberian Anthracite), Claudio Monteiro (Cosipar Group), João Carlos de Oliveira Mello (Andrade & Canellas Consulting and Engineering), Claudio Sales (Instituto Acende Brasil), Xisto Vieira (MPX Energia), Martin Bloemendal (Energy Edge Ltd), Fernando Zancan (Brazilian Coal Association) and Donizete Macedo Costa (ERM do Brasil).

Delegates will have a chance to visit a Sol Coqueria, a fully operational coke plant, and a steel mill, ArcelorMittal Tubarão, on May 14.

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