Brazil received the first two quantum computers in Latin America on Thursday (5 November). The machines, manufactured in China, arrived at the Port of Suape, in Pernambuco, and are on their way to João Pessoa, in Paraíba, where they will be installed at the International Quantum Computing Centre of Paraíba (CIQuanta-PB).
According to the Paraíba state government, the project brings together the State Secretariat for Science, Technology, Innovation and Higher Education (Secties) and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), in partnership with the Chinese company China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC). The initiative includes knowledge transfer, training for Brazilian professionals and the creation of a national structure dedicated to research and development of quantum applications.
Two machines, with 20 and 100 qubits
The two computers have capacities of 20 and 100 qubits — the basic units of quantum processing — and will be installed in the Estação das Artes building in João Pessoa, which is being adapted to host the technology. Brazilian researchers have already trained at the Suzhou Quantum Centre in China as part of the technology transfer, which covers cryogenics, sensors and operating systems.
The announced investment for the project is around R$ 150 million, and the state government cites R$ 200 million as the centre's total value. Initial access will go to researchers from Paraíba institutions such as the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG) and the Federal Institute of Paraíba (IFPB).
Timeline
The machines arrived from China by sea freight, in a conventional container. The cargo remains at the Movecta company terminal in Suape, under customs control, and is expected to reach João Pessoa in about two days. Customs clearance began on 5 November, and the remaining parts of the equipment are due to arrive in the state on 17 November, according to secretary Cláudio Furtado. Assembly, preparation and testing then begin, and the government expects to deliver part of the CIQuanta structure in early December.
The centre is expected to support applied research in artificial intelligence, health, digital security and new materials, as well as workforce training: in June, the MCTI launched the Quantum Technologies Residency Project in João Pessoa, with 156 scholarships to train around 500 students, researchers and professionals.
Image: arrival of the equipment in Brazil. Credit: Revista Nordeste.
Sources
- Revista Nordeste — Brasil recebe primeiros computadores quânticos da América Latina a serem instalados em João Pessoa
- Portal Mais360 — Paraíba avança na instalação dos primeiros computadores quânticos do Brasil
- NewNews — Computador quântico na PB começa a ser montado em novembro
- CIQuanta-PB — official centre website
Transparency: this article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on cross-checking public posts and internet sources. Please consult the original sources to confirm the details.
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