Paranaguá launches licitation process for rock removal

To allow the Port of Paranaguá to receive vessels with a higher cargo capacity, the Government of Paraná has launched the licitation process for the removal of rock formations which are obstructing navigation at the entrance to the Port of Paranaguá. The port community has been awaiting the removal of the rocks for decades.

The Ports of Paraná will investment an estimated R$32m in the works. “These rocks are located in the vessel maneuvering area and limit the depth at the entrance to the bay. With their removal, along with dredging investments, we will have effective operational gains,” explains the managing director of the Port Administration of Paranaguá and Antonina (Appa), Luiz Fernando Garcia.

Director of Engineering and Maintenance of the ports, Rogério Barzellay, said “The work has already been licensed by IBAMA. Our forecast is that the hiring process will be completed in the next six months. After that, the expectation is that the winning company will complete the work in up to eight months.”

Details of the work

The project, considered urgent, involves removing six rock masses totaling 22,300 cubic meters. The smallest rock mass is 361 cubic meters and the largest 8,000 cubic meters. The formations are part of the Pedra da Palangana complex, which is more than 200 thousand cubic meters and is located in the main access channel to the Port of Paranaguá, just in front of the Container Terminal.

The procedure will require several steps with the objective of reducing environmental impact as much as is possible; there will be specific monitoring to ensure minimal impacts.

Following the rock removal, the company will conduct category A bathymetry mapping to measure the depth of the area and ensure safe and efficient vessel traffic. The results of this measurement will be forwarded to the Navy for validation to determine the channel’s new draft.

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