Expansion of the Port of Santos could bring up to 30 new terminals, APS projects

The area of the Santos port complex was expanded from 9.3 km² to 14.5 km², representing a 56% territorial increase (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The Autoridade Portuária de Santos (APS) plans to launch bidding processes for the new areas incorporated into the Port of Santos starting in 2027 and expects to accommodate up to 30 new terminals and an Export Processing Zone (ZPE). The area of the Santos port complex was expanded from 9.3 km² to 14.5 km², representing a 56% territorial increase, in accordance with an ordinance published by the Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos (MPor) in the Diário Oficial da União last Tuesday.

APS President Anderson Pomini told A Tribuna that he is already planning bidding procedures to lease the new areas to private operators, aiming to enhance modern and technological infrastructure focused on the efficiency of port operations. “Next year we will already issue calls for proposals for the occupation of these areas by terminals that bring new technologies applied in the most modern ports in the world”, he stated.

Pomini reiterated that “the strategic importance of this expansion of the port boundary is precisely to meet the continuous growth of Brazil’s economy and of the Port of Santos, which serves 600 destinations in nearly 200 countries. This 56% increase in land areas means that, in the future, we will be able to accommodate 20 to 30 additional terminals.” “The expansion of the port boundary is the result of our planning. We requested additional space from the Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos precisely to carry out short-, medium-, and long-term actions”, he added.

APS identified three of the most important and strategic areas: the surroundings of Largo do Caneu, which include flat sections with vegetation and water areas, totaling approximately 5 km²; areas located in Alemoa, with access to the Port channel, next to the Petrobras terminal, totaling 114,000 m²; and sections in Monte Cabrão, in the Continental Area of Santos, with access to the channel, measuring approximately 180,000 m². “The areas in Caneu can accommodate new terminals and also a ZPE”, Pomini said.

Port Boundary

The request to expand the port boundary to up to 20.4 km² was submitted by APS to MPor in 2024. In 2025, a public consultation was held and now partial authorization has been granted. Recently, the port boundary had already been updated from 7.8 km² to 9.3 km².

The expansion also involves maritime areas — Perímetro de Deposição Oceânica (PDO) and Área de Fundeio — increasing the water area from 355.2 km² to 367.2 km². As a result, the total area used by the Port of Santos was expanded from 383.8 km² to 401 km².

Offering greenfield areas is attractive to the market

The availability of greenfield areas — vacant land free of buildings — and the strategic location of the Port of Santos are attractive factors for the installation of terminals and a ZPE. However, access infrastructure remains a challenge to be overcome in order to support increased cargo movement in the region.

According to public policy strategist and International Relations specialist Leandro Lopes, the expansion may mark a new economic cycle. “The Port of Santos already accounts for approximately 30% of Brazil’s trade balance, and the territorial expansion reinforces its position as the main logistics hub in South America.”

Lopes believes that, with the availability of space, opportunities arise for the implementation of terminals, back-up areas, and integrated logistics operations, increasing attractiveness to domestic and foreign investors. “Santos strengthens its position as the largest and most strategic port in the Southern Hemisphere in terms of cargo diversity and volume. The increase in scale attracts the interest of groups seeking a presence in a logistics asset with global reach.”

However, the specialist warns of excessive concentration of cargo in a single port. “The greater the national share concentrated in Santos, the greater the risk of bottlenecks if the surrounding infrastructure does not evolve.”

In addition, Lopes stated that the expansion favors the creation of a ZPE connected to the Port. “A well-structured ZPE in Santos could attract exporting multinationals, strengthen domestic industry, reduce logistics time and costs, and generate jobs and innovation”, he noted, warning that “without rail integration, efficient urban mobility, and legal certainty, the ZPE risks existing only on paper.”

Predictability

Maritime and Transport Law attorney and partner at Reis, Braun e Regueira Advogados Associados, João Paulo Braun, believes that the new port boundary allows investors to operate with predictability and expansion capacity.

“The Port of Santos signals that it has room to grow with modern projects planned from scratch, the so-called greenfields. This reduces the risk of saturation and keeps the port competitive, functioning as a magnet for major operators.”

Braun emphasized that the new territorial configuration is a fundamental step toward making the ZPE a reality, something that the Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos highlighted as a possibility. “By bringing strategic areas within the Organized Port, the path is opened for the Port-Industry concept, attracting factories that operate adjacent to the quay.”