Dredging increases depth at the Port of Itajaí, in Santa Catarina

In the internal channel, the depth reached 13.6 meters, while in the external channel it increased to 14 meters (APS/Disclosure)

The dredging service at the Port of Itajaí, in Santa Catarina, since the beginning of the year, has increased the operational capacity of the port complex. The Brazilian Navy approved in February the depths achieved by the initiative, which enabled the restoration of the port’s operational drafts. This information comes from the Port Authority of Santos (APS), responsible for the management of the site.

“The resumption of efficient maintenance dredging was the first operational challenge undertaken by APS-Itajaí, starting on January 2, and we can proudly say it was overcome by this administration”, said the president of APS, Anderson Pomini. “The internal and external channels, maneuvering basins, and mooring berths were dredged”, explained Pomini.

Alongside the dredging services, he added, bottom monitoring work was maintained to track the achieved depths, “which facilitated negotiations with the Pilots and the Maritime Authority”, detailed the president of APS.

Depths The maintenance dredging at the Port of Itajaí was made possible after an assessment of the situation by the APS engineering team. The operations were carried out by the dredger Utrecht, with a capacity of approximately 18,000 cubic meters (m³).

In the internal channel, the minimum observed depth increased from 13.2 meters to 13.6 meters; in the external channel, from 13.9 meters to 14 meters; and in Maneuvering Basin 1, from 12.9 meters to 13.6 meters. As a result, the targeted minimum depths were reached: 13.5 meters in the internal channel and 14 meters in the external channel.

In a statement, the Port Authority emphasized that the achieved depths significantly optimize and enhance the safety of operations at the Port of Itajaí, “ensuring that the port complex can operate at its full capacity, reinforcing APS’s commitment to efficiency in port management.”