Rock removal operations in the Port of Santos channel to begin in July to enable deepening project

Interventions will take place between July and October at three locations along the Port of Santos navigation channel (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

Rock removal operations, consisting of the removal of rock formations from the Port of Santos waterway channel, will begin in July. The service, which is essential for deepening the navigation channel from 15 to 16 meters, has already received the Installation License (LI) granted to Autoridade Portuária de Santos (APS) by the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (Ibama). The works will be carried out by DTA Engenharia, 11 months after the contract was signed with APS.

A study received by the Port Authority in 2025 identified 31 rocky outcrops located at the channel entrance, mid-estuary (in front of the Giusfredo Santini Passenger Maritime Terminal, operated by Concais), and at the upper end of the estuary near Ilha Barnabé, as well as in access areas and berthing locations.

According to the Port of Santos administration, the interventions will take place between July and October at three locations along the navigation channel: Pedra do Barroso, near Ilha Barnabé; Pedra do Itapema, close to the Outeirinhos terminals; and Pedra do Teffé, near the Concais passenger terminal.

Rock removal operations involve fragmenting and removing rock formations that cannot be extracted through conventional dredging methods. The issuance of the license ensures that the works will be carried out in full compliance with current environmental regulations.

During a press conference held at Parque Valongo on Wednesday, APS President Anderson Pomini celebrated the issuance of the environmental license. “The contractor is about to begin the works. It has already obtained the environmental license for the rock removal operation, which is precisely the prerequisite for deepening the Port of Santos channel to 16 meters.”

“The contractor is about to begin the works. It has already obtained the environmental license for the rock removal operation, which is precisely the prerequisite for deepening the Port of Santos channel to 16 meters”, said Anderson Pomini, President of Autoridade Portuária de Santos (APS) (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

Technical details

According to APS, before the rock fragmentation process begins, crews will remove approximately 12,000 cubic meters of accumulated sediment. The technique to be employed is known as “cold rock removal”, which does not involve the use of explosives. The method relies exclusively on controlled mechanical impacts delivered by specialized equipment known as a drop chisel (trépano). The resulting rock fragments are then recovered using a clamshell grab attached to a dredger.

The material removed from the channel bed will be disposed of according to specific procedures. Sediments will be transported to the Ocean Disposal Area (PDO), specifically to grid Q7. The rock material will be taken to designated areas in the Alemoa and Saboó districts and may subsequently be reused in public-interest infrastructure projects, promoting the sustainable use of resources generated by the intervention.

During the works, vessel traffic may be subject to occasional partial interruptions within the intervention areas. Operations will follow strict maritime safety protocols and will be supported by continuous environmental monitoring.

Contract

DTA signed an 18-month contract under which it is responsible for preparing the basic and detailed engineering designs, as well as removing the rock material, whose volume is estimated at 12,000 m³. The investment amounts to approximately BRL 17 million.

Authorization

Autoridade Portuária de Santos (APS) obtained Installation License (LI) No. 1,562/2026 from the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (Ibama), authorizing the removal of rock formations from the bottom of the Port of Santos navigation channel. The rock removal operation consists of fragmenting and extracting rock formations that cannot be removed through conventional dredging methods.