Expansion of the Port of Santos has been stalled in Brasília for three months

In February, Porto de Santos incorporated an additional 5.2 square kilometers of land (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

Three months after the request to include new areas in the polygon (official boundaries) of the Organized Port of Santos was submitted, the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) still has no response for the Santos Port Authority (APS). The request remains stalled, under review by the technical division of the National Ports Secretariat (SNP).

“In June, the Santos Port Authority (APS) submitted new requests to include areas not covered by the jurisdiction of the Organized Port of Santos in its latest revision, carried out in February 2026. Therefore, the requests are still under review”, MPor stated in a press release.

When contacted, the port operator only stated that it “has no updates on the matter for now,” but that “dialogue on this and other issues with the Ministry of Ports and Airports is ongoing.”

As reported by A Tribuna in July, the administration of the Santos port complex requested that the Federal Government include areas encompassing Ecopátio, in Cubatão; locations in the Continental Area of São Vicente, specifically in the regions known as Vale Novo and Areias sites; Vila dos Criadores, in Alemoa, Santos; and an area in the Historic Center, in Valongo, which is expected to house a parking garage as part of the passenger handling infrastructure for cruise ships. This is related to the future relocation of the maritime passenger terminal to the area opposite Parque Valongo.

Vila dos Criadores is possibly the most sensitive situation to be addressed by APS. It is a contaminated and occupied area housing approximately 1,000 families in homes built in an unplanned manner around the former Alemoa landfill.

To acquire and clear the area, it is first necessary to resolve the impasse involving a lawsuit against the Santos City Government, which has been pending in court for years. In addition, a housing project is required, as well as efforts to persuade residents to leave the area. The site must also undergo decontamination.

New areas

In February, Porto de Santos incorporated an additional 5.2 square kilometers (km²) of land, bringing its total area to 14.5 km², representing a 56% increase in its territorial extent. The expansion was authorized by MPor through an ordinance published in the Official Gazette of the Federal Government (DOU) on February 10.