New Santos megaterminal could ease road access bottlenecks

Whether through counterpart investments from the leaseholder or public sector contributions, the need to improve road access to the Port of Santos must keep pace with the implementation of the future Santos 10 Container Terminal (Tecon Santos 10), located at the Saboó quay (STS10). If this is achieved, the terminal could not only meet new demand but also resolve longstanding logistical bottlenecks that have plagued the region for years.

“The development of a new terminal cannot come at any cost. The residents of the Baixada Santista region must not be harmed by the project. We are already experiencing a chaotic situation accessing the terminals on the Right Bank, with long queues both entering and leaving Santos,” said Washington Flores Júnior, CEO of Bandeirantes Deicmar.

The scale of Tecon Santos 10 supports these concerns. Scheduled for auction in December, it will be the largest container terminal in Brazil, occupying 621,900 square meters with an annual capacity of 3.25 million TEUs and 91,000 tonnes of general cargo. The investment totals R$6.45 billion.

The contract term is expected to be 25 years, commencing in 2026 and concluding in 2050, with potential extensions. Additionally, the passenger terminal currently located in the Outeirinhos area will be relocated to Valongo, near Santos’ historic center.

“Road access must be completed before the terminal becomes operational; otherwise, it will cause major disruptions for residents. A comprehensive traffic study is essential to clearly outline the necessary infrastructure to ensure this promising project does not become a nightmare for the city and port-dependent businesses,” added Flores.

He also emphasized the need for new berths to accommodate container ships. “The terminal will benefit Brazilian maritime trade.”

Fabrizio Pierdomenico, former National Secretary for Ports and Waterway Transport and managing partner of Agência Porto Consultoria Portuária, echoed these views. “Trucks will further clog the marginal access roads into Santos, causing traffic jams from Cubatão onwards. We already see frequent congestion in this area, which will worsen unless a new access route is developed alongside the terminal. Doing both simultaneously could mitigate the issue.”

Viaducts

One proposed solution involves two new viaducts in the Alemoa neighborhood, announced late last year by the Santos Port Authority (APS). The final design is expected soon.

“We’re making good progress. The port must grow in coordination with its access routes. That’s why we’re carefully planning the expansion of port areas, particularly for Tecon Santos 10,” said APS president Anderson Pomini.

The viaduct project, with a projected cost of R$250 million, will be carried out by Ecovias Imigrantes, the concessionaire responsible for managing the Anchieta-Imigrantes Highway System (SAI).

“Tecon Santos 10 is scheduled to be fully operational within three years, which matches the timeline we’ve set for the roadworks. About a year later, a new passenger terminal will also be operational in the same area. So several projects will converge in that region,” Pomini explained.

Ecovias Imigrantes stated that the functional design for the second access to the Right Bank of the Port of Santos, at kilometer 65 of the Via Anchieta, is in the final stages of approval by the São Paulo State Transportation Agency (Artesp). The next steps—including the detailed project and timeline—will be aligned with Artesp. “The concessionaire is also working with the agency to potentially include the project in the concession agreement,” the company said.

Funding Already Secured

According to APS president Anderson Pomini, funding for the viaducts will come from credits owed to the Port of Santos by the Port’s Internal Railway (Fips), through a legal and financial framework involving several stakeholders.

“We brought together the Santos city government, the state government, Fips, and the Port Authority to create a viable legal and financial model. The state government assumed responsibility for the construction (via Ecovias) and requested the basic project, which is now complete. The credits owed to us by Fips will be transferred to the state to finance the work,” Pomini explained.

In a statement, Fips said: “Detailed planning for terminal access is the responsibility of public authorities, and final decisions will be based on necessary studies and analysis to ensure the best outcomes for the terminal and the Port of Santos.”

Pomini added that as a counterpart to the viaduct investment, the state government has committed to investing another R$250 million in housing for families living in Vila dos Criadores, in Alemoa—an area of informal housing that the Port Authority aims to incorporate into the Organized Port Zone.

“We held a public hearing, and the community agreed. These families will be relocated to an already well-developed neighborhood where Transbrasa is located. In other words, we are relocating a container company from the city center—where it made sense 50 years ago but no longer does—to the port, and moving families from the waterfront, currently residing in stilt houses, to a proper urban area with proper infrastructure. With creativity and goodwill, we’re solving multiple issues with one initiative—especially the access problem,” Pomini said.

City Ties Operation to Infrastructure

Santos Mayor Rogério Santos (Republicanos) made it clear that Tecon Santos 10 will not be allowed to operate at full capacity unless the viaducts are completed. “The city will not permit, through its legal instruments, terminal operations without the required road infrastructure,” he said.

He emphasized that the terminal will bring more than 5,000 additional trucks per day. “That’s a huge increase. Our roads are already overwhelmed. Operating without the necessary investment in access routes is unacceptable.”

The mayor added that the current situation is harming the city. “Besides congesting the Anchieta and marginal roads, trucks end up in residential neighborhoods, especially in the Northwest Zone. Some drivers even park in restricted streets, disrupting everyday life. So we won’t accept full operation of the terminal until the necessary road infrastructure, including the viaducts, is in place.”

He concluded by affirming that Tecon Santos 10 represents a national solution. “But Brazil must consider the full picture—not just the terminal but the supporting road and infrastructure investment. That’s what makes São Paulo a great state.”

Source: A Tribuna

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