Minister promises to more than double the Port of Santos, with expansion reaching other cities

Presidente da APS, Anderson Pomini fez uma apresentação sobre possível ampliação do cais santista (Vanessa Rodrigues/AT)

The Port of Santos could expand to 20.4 million square meters (m²) within 30 years by incorporating an additional 12.6 million m² in areas located in Santos, São Vicente, Guarujá, and Cubatão. A decree authorizing the incorporation of 15 areas and a 162.4% expansion of the polygon is expected to be established in February 2025.

These announcements were made by the Minister of Ports and Airports (Mpor), Silvio Costa Filho, and the President of the Santos Port Authority (APS), Anderson Pomini, on Thursday (12th), at the administrative headquarters of the Port of Santos.

Pomini stated that the Santos port complex currently spans 7.8 million m² and that the expansion will primarily benefit the waterway transport sector, including areas in São Vicente.

Minister Silvio Costa Filho declared that the aim is “to sign the decree at the beginning of February and, within six to eight months, advance strategic actions to attract investors interested in undertaking projects at the Port of Santos. President Pomini will conduct a roadshow with various Brazilian entrepreneurs to showcase this new strategic area”, the minister added.

Among the areas in question, APS President Pomini highlighted the incorporation of Vila dos Criadores, which he described as “the last prime area on the Right Bank of the Port of Santos.”

According to APS, the Technical Note containing studies and opinions related to the polygon expansion, including contributions to Public Consultation No. 01/2024 for the review of the Organized Port's area, was analyzed and approved by the National Secretariat for Ports and Waterway Transport.

Pomini also emphasized the interdependence between the polygon and the conception of the Development and Zoning Plan (PDZ), which defines “the designated use of areas related and unrelated to port operations, adhering to the polygon’s boundaries.”

Until July 2020, the organized port area was defined by Decree No. 4,333/2020. Subsequently, in 2021, following two ordinances, the Port incorporated and later excluded approximately 6 million m² from the polygon within a 10-month interval (between January and October 2022).

In total, APS proposes the inclusion or maintenance of 15 areas within the organized port polygon:

Vila dos Criadores 423,000 m² on the Right Bank, currently home to 4,000 residents. The plan is to relocate these families to a housing complex to be built in the retroport area SSZ33E, in the Jabaquara neighborhood of Santos, currently leased for port activities by Transbrasa.

Alemoa I 113,000 m² in Alemoa, to be leased for STS08 operations.

Historic Center - Valongo 12,900 m² in Valongo, designated for a Passenger Terminal – Concais.

Ponta da Praia A small 200 m² area in Ponta da Praia, currently used as a truck parking lot.

Caneu and Piaçaguera Channel A contiguous greenfield area of 4.4 million m² in the Caneu and Piaçaguera Canal region, for the development of private use terminals (TUPs) and an Export Processing Zone (ZPE).

Monte Cabrão on the Left Bank 175,000 m² area.

São Vicente A total of 7.5 million m² of greenfield area spanning the island and mainland, including 6.2 million m² on the mainland and 850,000 m² on the island. This includes the Port of Naus, a historic ruin near the Suspension Bridge, where Brazil’s first customs pier and later a sugar mill were built. The goal is to explore new waterway access points.

Cubatão 477,000 m² area in Cubatão, currently known as Ecopátio, used for truck reception and parking for those heading to the Port of Santos.

Macuco/Ponta da Praia 450 m² area intended for support activities.

Vicente de Carvalho 10,500 m² in Forte Itapema, with access to the navigation channel, for tourism purposes similar to Parque Valongo.

Caneu II – TRSP A proposed 3,000 m² area adjacent to the São Paulo Regasification Terminal (TRSP), intended for docking facilities and maneuvering and passage areas for vessels without affecting existing pipelines.

Barnabé Island/Largo Santa Rita A maintained 1.9 million m² area for shared use between an existing TUP operated by EBT and future leases.

Alemoa II A maintained 241,700 m² area for rail access to the future STS10 super container terminal, which is projected to handle 2.5 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) per year.

Anchoring Areas APS proposes a simple rectification of a layout already updated by the Brazilian Navy.

Ocean Disposal Polygon The 10 quadrants of the Ocean Disposal Polygon (PDO), totaling 40 million m², are active and licensed. The proposal pertains only to incorporating this already-managed area for the disposal of dredged materials.