Port of São Francisco do Sul Celebrates 70th Anniversary with Ceremony and Infrastructure Announcements

On July 1, 1955, the Port of São Francisco do Sul was officially inaugurated. Today, it stands as the largest port in the state of Santa Catarina.

To mark the occasion, a commemorative event will take place at the port terminal on Tuesday, July 1, starting at 9:30 a.m., with the expected presence of state and national authorities.

During the ceremony, new infrastructure investments will be announced to boost operational efficiency at the Babitonga Complex. These include:

• State authorization to use dividends for the construction of a third lane on BR-280 (R$12.5 million);
• Launch of the bidding process for the restoration of Berth 201 (R$18 million);
• Implementation of a dust suppression system at the Export Corridor (R$11 million).

The event will also mark the inauguration of several improvements, such as:

• The new Port Technology Park, with an investment of R$10 million;
• The renovated pedestrian access to the terminal’s operational area.

Additionally, an agreement will be signed to enhance environmental protection in the Babitonga Bay. In a pioneering initiative in Brazil, all four terminals of the Port Complex (Public Port, TESC, Itapoá, and Santa Catarina Bulk Terminal) are launching the Integrated Environmental Monitoring Program (PMAI), which will carry out joint actions in alignment with Ibama.

Until now, each terminal has maintained its environmental program. From this year forward, the initiative aims to foster cooperation across 17 programs, encompassing the ongoing protection of local flora and fauna, as well as the monitoring of water, air, and wastewater quality. The program involves an investment of R$17 million.

Below is a historical overview of container throughput at the Port of São Francisco do Sul starting from January 2022. The chart was created using DataLiner data:

Container Throughput at the Port of São Francisco do Sul | Jan 2022 – Apr 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

A Brief History of the Port:

• Although the current structure of the Port of São Francisco was inaugurated in 1955, the Babitonga Bay shoreline had been used for trade for centuries—first by Indigenous communities and later by European settlers.
• In the early 1900s, the Santista and Hoepcke piers were built, mainly for exporting timber and yerba mate from Santa Catarina and importing wheat from Argentina.
• The organized port’s history began in the 1940s, when the federal government issued a decree in 1941 granting the State of Santa Catarina the concession to build and operate a port in São Francisco do Sul.
• Construction began in 1945 and was completed in 1955.
• On July 1, 1955, the port officially opened, marking a significant milestone in the region’s economic development.
• Over the decades, the port complex has undergone continuous modernization, reaching its current world-class status as a key hub for the export and import of grains, fertilizers, and steel products.

Current Highlights of the Port:

• The largest port by cargo volume in Santa Catarina.
• Among the top 10 public ports in Brazil for general cargo movement.
• Two consecutive cargo volume records: 16.8 million tons in 2023 and 17 million tons in 2024.
• It is one of only five public ports in Brazil with both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications.
• In 2024, received three awards from the Ministry of Ports for cargo volume growth and management excellence.
• Handles 42% of all steel imported into Brazil and 80% of the soy exported from Santa Catarina.

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