Passenger terminal at the Port of Santos will be the first in Brazil to adopt facial biometrics

The Federal Government wants to make the use of this technology mandatory at ports, starting with Concais (Vanessa Rodrigues/AT/Arquivo)

The Giusfredo Santini Maritime Passenger Terminal, operated by Concais at the Port of Santos, is expected to be the first to test a biometric identification system based on facial recognition. The terminal was selected by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) to test the device that will be used to identify passengers, crew members, and employees of service providers. The Federal Government’s goal is to make the system mandatory at ports and airports and, to that end, it is preparing an ordinance expected to be issued by the end of March.

In a statement, MPor said it has been developing the project in partnership with the Federal Data Processing Service (Serpro) since September last year. “By the end of March, the ordinance establishing this biometric identification mechanism is expected to be published, and based on this new regulation, a proof of concept will be carried out at the maritime cruise terminal of the Port of Santos.”

The ministry reported that it has been holding meetings with Concais to organize and enable the implementation of the system and the execution of the proof of concept—that is, the performance of tests at the terminal to “verify the technical feasibility of the initiative and identify areas for improvement.”

MPor added that it is also holding meetings with Serpro and other stakeholders to prepare the system. “The idea is to make it mandatory nationwide for airports, ports, and port and inland waterway terminals.”

According to the ministry, the system will make it possible to receive, in real time, information of interest to the competent authorities in a fast and accurate manner, without the use of paper, and with data security and protection of personal information.

The objectives are to ensure greater agility by reducing queues and greater security through the cross-checking of official data. Among the main benefits are “increased logistics, airport, and port productivity in access procedures to controlled areas and spaces; digitization and elimination of paper and physical processes; reduction of document fraud and other illicit activities; efficiency in control and traceability; and an average reduction of 25% to 30% in administrative and operational control costs in the initial phase,” said MPor.

The initiative follows recommendations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO). However, MPor did not respond to questions from the Report regarding who will finance the acquisition, implementation, and maintenance of the identification equipment.

The Federal Government’s goal, which has already held meetings with Concais, is to require the use of the system at ports and airports to make access more secure and reduce paper use (Vanessa Rodrigues/AT/Arquivo)

Project still needs a testing timeline

Concais, which operates the passenger terminal, said in a statement that “the project has been under discussion since 2025 between Serpro (Federal Data Processing Service) and the shipowners, as it involves passengers and crew members of their vessels.”

The concessionaire also reported that it “took part in a meeting with Serpro at the beginning of last year and is awaiting the conclusion of the project, as well as definitions on how the system will be implemented and the timeline.”

According to the Brazilian Cruise Lines Association (Clia Brasil), Concais accounts for approximately 60% of the tourist traffic embarking on cruises in the country.

APS

The Santos Port Authority (APS), manager of the country’s main port and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, said it “provided information to MPor for the development of the project at the national level,” but noted that it is still “premature to comment on implementation and its benefits” because it has not yet received the project details.

“It is worth noting that the Port of Santos already has biometric access control at its entrances, managed by the Port Guard (GPort),” the port authority emphasized.

An ordinance on the matter is expected to be published by the end of March (Vanessa Rodrigues/AT/Arquivo)

Safe and efficient, says expert

Computer engineer and port technology specialist Ricardo Pupo Larguesa, director of T2S, believes the system is safe, efficient, and agile when compared to devices already adopted at airports.

“It has strong potential to reduce bottlenecks. Anyone who has traveled knows that manual document checks are a slow and time-consuming process. At airports, when we use the new passport, we go to the facial recognition line, which is usually shorter and flows better.”

He also highlighted security gains. “It’s a system validating identity. It’s not a person, so there is no room for bias, in addition to reducing the risk of fraud. Moreover, the user doesn’t need to handle documents or a phone while carrying luggage, which makes the experience more pleasant.”

The specialist believes the impact at cruise terminals could be even greater. “At ports, the boarding window is smaller, so queues tend to be much longer,” he noted.

On the other hand, Larguesa draws attention to challenges that must be overcome before large-scale implementation. “The first point of concern is compliance with the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) and user consent. How will this consent be collected and how can it be revoked in practice? Each port will have different systems—will they be integrated?” he asks.

He also recalls that facial recognition failures are still observed. “There are false negatives and changes in appearance. Facial recognition depends heavily on infrastructure—good cameras, adequate lighting, and neutral backgrounds. Each location has a different reality, and that affects how the system works. It’s a challenge.”

Ministry opens public consultation

The Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) opened a public consultation last Wednesday to receive contributions aimed at improving the National Biometric Identification Policy—a program designed to modernize boarding processes at port, inland waterway, and airport facilities. The public consultation is open until February 20 and can be accessed at bit.ly/4jRiEaS.

To implement the policy, an Interinstitutional Technical Committee was created, composed of representatives from MPor, the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac), the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), and other bodies. The committee will define the implementation schedule within 90 days after publication of the final ordinance, expected in March.

The goal is to eliminate the need for passengers to present physical documents, thereby reducing potential queues.

Biometric data will be operated by Serpro to ensure high standards of governance, traceability, and fraud prevention, “waiving the need for user consent, as it involves the execution of a public policy related to security and critical infrastructure, as provided for under the LGPD (General Data Protection Law),” according to MPor.