Brazilian logistics firm Prumo is set to develop hyperscale data centers at the Açu port complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
First reported in BNAmericas, the firm has signed a memorandum of understanding with construction firm Vertin to build and construct data centers.
Rogério Zampronha, CEO at Prumo, made the announcement at an annual investor event in São Paulo, but did not disclose details or specifications of the proposed data center project.
Zampronha said: “Originally, when the port was conceived a little over ten years ago, it was not in the plans to have a data center there. But conditions are so favorable regarding the availability of energy, water, and land, and the proximity to fiber optic nodes, that [the port] naturally emerged as a candidate to receive several large data centers.”
There are already multiple subsea cables landing in the Rio de Janeiro region, including the Brazilian Festoon cable, SAm-1, BRUSA, AMX-1, GlobeNet, Malbec, and SAC cables.
Prumo is the force behind the development of the Açu port complex, which has been in operation since 2014. The port currently has 22 companies installed within it and 11 private terminals.
Prumo also signed a memorandum of understanding with hydrogen producer Fuella earlier this month to build a hydrogen hub and 520MW ammonia plant at the port.
Vertin is the joint venture between Andrade Gutierrez subsidiary Consag Engenharia and CA3M Engenharia.
The company already has data center projects in its portfolio, including two under-development sites for Scala in Barueri, São Paulo state.
Vertin was also responsible for the data center of Telemar, a company later acquired by telco Oi, which was completed in 2002 in Rio de Janeiro.
Other operators in Rio de Janeiro include Ascenty, Scala, and Aligned. CloudHQ announced plans to develop a new data center campus in Rio de Janeiro, set to be operational in 2025. Earlier this year, Equinix announced plans to invest $94 million in a third data center in the city.