NBSO Porto Alegre

🔄🌧️🌊🌐🤝 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 | 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹

This week, Lucila Almeida, Deputy Representative of NBSO Porto Alegre, participated in the 4th ICLEI South Regional Meeting — a global network of over 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development — held in Porto Alegre.

Focused on post-disaster reconstruction, adaptation, and financing, the event highlighted climate adaptation as a priority following the 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul, integrating climate, biodiversity, and urban agendas, with an emphasis on multilevel governance and so-called “climate federalism.” The programme brought together leaders from ICLEI South America, as well as key institutions and government bodies such as WRI Brasil, the State Secretariat for Environment and Infrastructure of Rio Grande do Sul, and the Municipality of Porto Alegre. It also included the CB27 Forum, gathering environment secretaries from major Brazilian capitals. Discussions reinforced the importance of nature-based solutions, resilient urban planning, and international references — with the Netherlands highlighted as a leading example.

Lucila joined the agenda alongside representatives of the Porto Alegre Archipelago Project — an Urban and Socio-environmental Plan for the islands of Porto Alegre (RS), developed by the Municipal Secretariat for Environment, Urbanism and Sustainability (SMAMUS) and the United Nations Development Programme in Brazil (UNDP Brazil), with academic leadership from TU Delft (BK – Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment and Urban Design TU Delft).



📷 credit: Cesar Lopes PMPA

🇳🇱🧡 KING’S DAY IN PORTO ALEGRE 🎉🧡

On the evening of Wednesday, April 22, we celebrated King’s Day (Koningsdag) in Porto Alegre — the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul and home to the headquarters of the Netherlands Business Support Office Southern Brazil. King’s Day is the Netherlands’ largest national holiday, widely known for celebrating the birthday of King Willem-Alexander with a spirit of unity, culture, and tradition.

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The event brought together the Dutch community, diplomatic representatives, and guests connected to the relations between the Netherlands and Southern Brazil.

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The evening celebration was hosted by NBSO Porto Alegre and led by its representatives, Caspar van Rijnbach and Lucila Almeida, featuring moments of networking, a relaxed atmosphere, music, Dutch-inspired gastronomy, and connection.

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In this post, we share a selection of photos 📷 from our King’s Day celebration in Porto Alegre — a particularly special occasion, as 2026 also marks 200 years of bilateral relations and friendship between the Netherlands and Brazil. 🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷

🧡 ORANGE CELEBRATION!

Photo credits: Dudu Leal

🚢🌍 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 | 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗟–𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹 🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷

🔹 This week, NBSO Porto Alegre attended the 30th edition of INTERMODAL South America, in São Paulo — the leading meeting point in Latin America for the logistics, cargo transport, and international trade sectors — as part of a joint agenda with the Dutch economic network in Brazil.

🔹 The participation focused on strengthening connections and identifying business opportunities, with interactions with key logistics stakeholders, including major ports in Southern Brazil — such as Paranaguá, São Francisco do Sul, Portonave, and Rio Grande — which are also relevant for advancing initiatives such as the Green Ports Partnership (GPP), a Brazil–Netherlands cooperation focused on energy transition and sustainability in the port sector.

🔹🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷 The agenda also included meetings with and support for Dutch companies present at the event, including NewCold Coöperatief U.A., Embassy Freight Services Europe nv, 5U, N.A. Nissen Spedition & Transport APS, Inco Express B.V., Five Marine Transport, Reibel Air & Ocean Freight, YES Logistics Europe GmbH, and Dynamic Forwarding B.V. Among its areas of activity, NBSO Porto Alegre also facilitates connections between ports, Brazilian companies, and Dutch organizations, supporting business expansion and the development of strategic partnerships — particularly in Southern Brazil.

🔹 At the 30th edition of Intermodal South America, NBSO Porto Alegre was represented by Caspar van Rijnbach, Chief Representative, who joined the agenda alongside Mirte Ruesen, Diplomat and Deputy Consul General at the Consulate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in São Paulo.

On April 15, Lucila Almeida, Deputy Representative of the Netherlands Business Support Office Southern Brazil, represented NBSO Porto Alegre during a technical visit to the green hydrogen project of Tramontina, a Brazilian industrial group with more than 115 years of history, headquartered in Carlos Barbosa, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

The visit was part of the Conexão Indústria Programme, promoted by the Secretariat for Economic Development of Rio Grande do Sul (Sedec RS), in partnership with Invest RS (the state investment promotion agency) and the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (FIERGS), bringing together companies and institutions interested in developing the green hydrogen value chain. Tramontina is developing one of the first green hydrogen hubs in Southern Brazil, integrating clean energy technologies, logistics, and industrial applications to drive decarbonization and long-term energy transition. The project also foresees a future phase connecting to the Port of Rio Grande — the state’s main port — through zero-emission logistics corridors.
This agenda highlights Rio Grande do Sul’s growing focus on energy transition and the strategic role of green hydrogen as a driver for innovation, decarbonization, and new investments.

GREEN PORTS PARTNERSHIP
In this context, we also highlight the ongoing Green Ports Partnership (GPP), a Brazil–Netherlands initiative launched in 2023, focused on developing more sustainable and efficient ports. The partnership promotes renewable energy solutions — including green hydrogen — as well as technical exchange and investment opportunities between both countries.
The Dutch ecosystem is globally recognized for its strong expertise in this sector and continues to seek closer cooperation with Brazilian companies. NBSO Porto Alegre remains available to support connections and initiatives in this field.

Next global event
As a key upcoming global event in the sector, the World Hydrogen Summit & Exhibition (19–21 May 2026), held in Rotterdam, brings together leaders and strategic opportunities to advance the green hydrogen agend.

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🤝🌎 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹 | 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗼

👥🤝 Caspar van Rijnbach and Lucila Almeida represented NBSO Porto Alegre at the recent gathering of the Dutch economic network in Brazil, held in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together teams from across the country, including Brasília, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, and Rio de Janeiro.

The meeting focused on aligning strategies to strengthen economic diplomacy and expand cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, innovation, sustainable development, and strategic value chains — particularly in the context of global challenges related to energy, food security, and climate resilience.

🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷 The Dutch economic network in Brazil — comprising the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Consulates-General, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and NBSO offices — plays a key role in identifying opportunities, supporting businesses, and fostering connections between Dutch and Brazilian stakeholders.

As part of this network, NBSO Porto Alegre contributes by connecting Dutch companies with opportunities in Southern Brazil, supporting long-term partnerships and promoting innovation-driven cooperation in the region.

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Part 2 💦🌊💧🌧️ Water & Climate Resilience Mission to Brazil 🇳🇱➡️🇧🇷 | Porto Alegre – Highlights

On March 27, Porto Alegre hosted a key session of the mission at Instituto Caldeira, bringing together public and private sector leaders, academia and the innovation ecosystem of Rio Grande do Sul.

This second highlight reinforces a central message: turning dialogue into concrete cooperation.

🌧️ In the context of the 2024 floods, discussions focused on resilient urban planning, water management and practical implementation of solutions.

☑️ Key moments:

🔶 Opening by NBSO Porto Alegre, reinforcing its role as a connector between Dutch expertise and local needs

🔶 Urban development insights focused on Porto Alegre’s 4th District

🔶 Dutch organizations presenting solutions in flood protection, data & monitoring, rapid response, governance and capacity building

🔶 Direct exchanges with local stakeholders to identify collaboration opportunities

The discussions highlighted strong complementarity: Southern Brazil faces urgent climate challenges, while the Netherlands brings globally recognized expertise — with shared ambition for scalable solutions.

📍 The 4th District emerges as a potential entry point for pilot projects in urban innovation and climate resilience.

🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷 NBSO Porto Alegre will continue to support next steps and future cooperation.

📌 Full content available on NBSO Porto Alegre’s LinkedIn. Follow for more insights.


📷 Photo credit: Neitor Corrêa

💦🌊💧🌧️ 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 & 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 🇳🇱➡️🇧🇷 | PORTO ALEGRE - HIGHLIGHTS | PART 1

Between March 25 and 27, Porto Alegre (State of Rio Grande do Sul) hosted part of the WATER & CLIMATE RESILIENCE MISSION (NETHERLANDS ➡️ BRAZIL) - an initiative by the Government of the Netherlands, through the Consulate General of the 🇳🇱 in São Paulo - bringing together Dutch companies, knowledge institutes, and public-sector representatives for an intensive agenda between three Brazilian states.

🌧️ In Southern Brazil, coordinated by NBSO Porto Alegre, the mission builds on cooperation strengthened after the 2024 floods, reinforcing the need for long-term planning, resilient infrastructure and innovative water solutions.

📍 Key highlights:

🔶 Reception at NBSO Porto Alegre office connecting Dutch organizations with local stakeholders in diplomacy, innovation and investment
🔶 Technical visits to flood-affected areas, including Porto Alegre Airport and urban drainage systems
🔶 Meetings with agribusiness leaders (irrigation, sustainability, precision agriculture)
🔶 Institutional dialogues with State Government on water resourcers, climate adaptation, reconstruction and infrastructure
🔶 Presence at Instituto Caldeira and South Summit Brazil event, engaging with startups, investors and global partners

💧 Dutch participants included organizations active in flood protection, geo-data, water research and governance: Dutch Water Prevention, Fugro, IHE Delft, The Water Agency and WaveSave.

🟧 Also joining: Dutch companies via the Eureka Network — Aethic, Fotoniq, Solaq and Space4Good.

🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷 Southern Brazil offers strong potential for international cooperation in water and climate resilience.

📌 Full content available on NBSO Porto Alegre’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7444486870249648128

🔊 More insights coming soon — follow along.

💧🌎 🇳🇱👥🤝🇧🇷 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO ADDRESS REAL CHALLENGES IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Between March 25 and 27, Porto Alegre, capital of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, will be one of the destinations of the Water & Climate Resilience Mission (Netherlands ➡️ Brazil), an initiative organized by the Government of the Netherlands, through the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in São Paulo, together with its Netherlands economic network in Brazil, in cooperation with the NBSO network. In Southern Brazil, the programme is supported by NBSO Porto Alegre, which is responsible for coordinating the local agenda.

The programme brings Dutch companies, knowledge institutes, and public partners to work with Brazilian stakeholders on topics such as water management, flood prevention, climate resilience, urban infrastructure, and nature-based solutions - especially relevant after the 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul.

The following Dutch organizations are participating in the Porto Alegre programme, all with global expertise in water and climate solutions: Dutch Water Prevention; Fugro; IHE Delft; The Water Agency; WaveSafe.

The agenda includes technical visits, meetings with government and innovation hubs, and participation in South Summit Brazil, connecting Dutch expertise to real opportunities in Southern Brazil. Also joining part of the agenda are Dutch companies attending South Summit through the Eureka Network, active in innovation and sustainable technologies: Aethic, Fotoniq, Solaq, and Space4Good.

🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷 NBSO Porto Alegre supports the mission by linking Dutch organizations with local partners, fostering long-term cooperation.

🔗 Full text on our LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7442125572308205569

👉 🔊 Follow our channels throughout the week for updates from the mission, including field visits, stakeholder meetings, and insights into cooperation opportunities between the Netherlands and Southern Brazil.

📷 Photo credit: for

𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗔́ STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL TIES BETWEEN THE NETHERLANDS AND SOUTHERN BRAZIL | MARCH 16–18
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Between March 16 and 18, the NBSO Porto Alegre took part in a series of official agendas in the state of Paraná. Caspar van Rijnbach, Chief Representative of the office, joined the delegation, which also included the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Brazil, Aldrik Gierveld, Deputy Consul General in São Paulo, Mirte Ruesen, and Robert de Ruijter, Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina.

The program included meetings with state authorities, business leaders, and representatives of the productive sector. In Curitiba, in addition to a meeting with the Vice Governor of Paraná, the delegation attended an event hosted by the Federation of Industries of the State of Paraná FIEP to discuss the impacts of the European Union–Mercosur Agreement on industry. Ambassador Aldrik Gierveld was among the panelists in the session addressing the diplomatic and economic perspectives of the agreement.

Paraná has consolidated its position as the largest economy in Southern Brazil and the fourth largest in the country, with a GDP exceeding BRL 600 billion (approx. USD 120 billion), standing out in agribusiness, industry, and logistics, with a well-established trade flow with the Netherlands in sectors such as food, agriculture, machinery, and chemicals. In this context, the agenda also included visits to companies and cooperatives in one of the most dynamic economic regions of the state.

Learn more. Full content on LinkedIn. Access it here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7441860715017293824

📷 archives and press

𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲 | 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗶𝗼 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗹

🌧️💧🚧🏭🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷 On March 12, NBSO Porto Alegre, in partnership with Instituto Caldeira, hosted a workshop bringing together Dutch and Brazilian partners to advance cooperation on resilient reconstruction, flood prevention, smart water management, and nature-based solutions in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul.

The session focused on the 4th District, a strategic redevelopment area of the city, and applied the Dutch Dialogues approach, widely used in delta cities and regions facing climate risks. The initiative is part of an ongoing cooperation that has intensified since the 2024 floods in Southern Brazil, with joint actions involving the Government of the Netherlands, the Dutch Disaster Risk Reduction and Surge Support (DRRS), and the visit of the Dutch Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, Meike van Ginneken.

With both in-person and online participation, the workshop brought together representatives from government, universities, companies, and international experts, as well as local stakeholders with relevant involvement in the region, including participants from TU Delft, H+N+S, FABRICations, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, and the Municipality of Porto Alegre. The meeting created a platform for dialogue between public authorities, knowledge institutions, and the private sector to discuss challenges and opportunities related to the resilient redevelopment of Porto Alegre’s 4th District, an area currently undergoing transformation under the municipal +4D urban revitalization program.

🔶➡️ Want to know more about the challenges and opportunities for Dutch cooperation in Southern Brazil?

🔊 Access the full article on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/netherlands-business-support-office-nbso-porto-alegre

🌾🚜🌧️🍊🥬 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹

🔶 This week, Caspar van Rijnbach and Lucila Almeida attended Expodireto Cotrijal, held in the State of Rio Grande do Sul — one of Latin America’s leading international agribusiness trade fairs.

🌐 Now in its 26th edition, the event brought together around 550 exhibitors and delegations from more than 70 countries, reinforcing its role as a global platform for innovation, technology and business development in agriculture.

📊 Rio Grande do Sul is one of Brazil’s most important agricultural states. With more than 350,000 farms, agribusiness accounts for around 40% of the state’s GDP and more than 60% of its exports, with strong production of soybeans, rice, corn, wheat and to***co, as well as major agro-industrial value chains linked to grains and animal protein.

🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷 During the fair, NBSO Porto Alegre held meetings with companies, cooperatives and institutions across the region’s agro-industrial ecosystem and visited Dutch-connected companies such as Lely, CRV Lagoa and Koppert, highlighting the role of Dutch technology in advancing Brazilian agriculture.

🔍 The team also followed discussions on irrigation, climate adaptation and the EU–Mercosur agreement, key topics for the future of agriculture and international cooperation.

👉 Read the full story on the LinkedIn page of NBSO Porto Alegre: linkedin.com/company/netherlands-business-support-office-nbso-porto-alegre

🇳🇱🤝🇧🇷🗣️🎥➡️ Stay tuned — we will soon share exclusive interviews with Dutch companies participating in the fair.