Porto do Recife signs R$ 100 million dredging contract to expand maneuvering capacity

The Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos officially signed the contract for dredging works to upgrade the waterway infrastructure at the Port of Recife (Pernambuco) this Friday (30). With an estimated investment of R$ 100 million, the project aims to deepen the operational draft and allow the terminal to receive larger vessels, meeting suppressed demand from the regional logistics sector.

Approved on January 26, 2026, the project includes maintenance and upgrades to the access channel to ensure a minimum depth of 12 meters and an operational draft of 10.7 meters. It also предусматриes an access channel 240 meters wide and a 500-meter-diameter turning basin.

With these new specifications, the Port of Recife will be able to handle ships of up to 210 meters in length, a capacity expected to optimize cargo transportation and improve safety standards during berthing operations.

Timeline and allocation of resources

The investment plan is divided into two financial stages: R$ 54.1 million has already been committed in 2025, while the remaining R$ 45.8 million is scheduled for the 2026 budget.

Dredging work is expected to begin by March 2026, with the final delivery of the new channel geometry planned for May 2027. According to port management, the intervention is essential to reduce the so-called “Brazil cost” in the region by enabling larger, higher-capacity ships to call at the port, resulting in more competitive freight rates.

Impact on trade and tourism

Beyond cargo flows and coastal shipping (cabotage), the infrastructure upgrades will also have direct effects on the tourism sector. The deeper draft and improved turning basin will facilitate operations for large cruise ships, expanding the port’s capacity to receive tourists.

The Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico de Pernambuco believes the modernization of the Port of Recife complements investments made at the Porto de Suape complex, strengthening the state as a strategic hub for foreign trade in Brazil’s Northeast. Analysts view the project as a necessary step for the port to regain efficiency amid the growing size of the global merchant fleet.

Source: MPOR

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