Projects prepare the Port of Santos for 2040

The concession of the Port’s navigation channel to the private sector is the solution to ensure the regularity of dredging (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

To achieve the goal of significantly increasing cargo movement by 2040, several projects are underway by the Santos Port Authority (APS). Investments amount to R\$ 20 billion and are expected to be made over the next four years.

Among them is the historic 162.6% expansion of the Organized Port Polygon. The proposed expansion would, in the long run, be equivalent to the creation of nearly two additional ports, now covering five cities. The auction of the STS10 terminal is also in the plans, aiming to increase container capacity by 50% and construct a new passenger terminal in Saboó. Under the model approved by the Ministry of Ports and Airports, there will be four berths, increasing from the current 6 million containers per year to 9 million units.

Additionally, the auction of STS08, a 152,200-square-meter terminal in Alemoa, is set to increase liquid bulk storage capacity, primarily for fuels. Four new berths will be built.

The construction of the Santos-Guarujá tunnel is one of the flagship projects, as improving access is among the top priorities of the port community. The project has been awaited for nearly a century.

The MPor has already approved the Technical, Economic, and Environmental Feasibility Study (Evtea), and it seems that now the long-awaited tunnel will finally become a reality.

In parallel, the construction of the Left Bank Perimeter Avenue is considered vital for the expansion of the Guarujá complex. Other projects include a new access route to Alemoa with the construction of two new overpasses on the right bank of the Santos Perimeter Avenue and an increase in railway cargo transport capacity from 50 million tons per year to 115 million, with a R\$ 1 billion investment in the Santos Port Internal Railway (Fips) project.

The deepening of the channel from 15 to 16 meters, allowing the transit of vessels with greater draft; the concession of the access channel; the waterway management modernization program, with the implementation and operation of VTMIS; the second phase of Parque Valongo, between warehouses 1 and 3; and the expansion of the collection and permanent visitation program at the Port Museum complement the efforts to prepare the port.

Finally, there is the new lane of the Anchieta-Imigrantes System (SAI), connecting the Plateau to the Baixada Santista. The project is expected to increase the capacity for heavy vehicles, such as trucks and buses, by 145%. The expected completion date is 2031.

Navigation Channel: Concession is a priority The port community has long advocated for the concession of the Santos Port navigation channel to the private sector. According to business leaders and authorities, privatization could ensure the maintenance of dredging operations, as well as the deepening of the channel, which is considered essential for accommodating increasingly larger vessels at the Santos quay.

The new model also allows for long-term service contracts. Under public administration, the period is only five years, leading to repeated bidding processes and resulting legal disputes. It is no surprise that this project is among APS's priorities for the next decade.

The concession of the channel is expected to be auctioned in the first quarter of 2025, with an estimated investment of approximately R\$ 7 billion. The project model has already been submitted to the Port Authority by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor). The contract also includes the signaling of the waterway channel. Construction is expected to begin in January 2027 under private concessionaire management.

The accelerated timeline aligns with the government's understanding that granting port channels to private companies is the best way to ensure dredging is carried out at the appropriate times to accommodate cargo demand.

The Santos timeline projects that by the first week of March, the project will be submitted to the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq). Before that, it will be reviewed by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES).