Shoaling disrupts operations at Itajaí-Navegantes port complex

Shoaling in the access channel of the Itajaí-Navegantes port complex in Santa Catarina has worsened operating conditions and raised concerns among shipping lines, according to Brazil’s long-haul shipping association Centronave.

The problem is linked to sediment buildup in the Itajaí-Açu River. Centronave said conditions have deteriorated since November 2025, when the local harbor master’s office in Itajaí had already warned that the channel’s bathymetric survey — the measurement used to determine water depth — was outdated.

Centronave Executive Director Fábio Lavor said maintenance dredging was interrupted on February 15, 2026. Although work later resumed on a limited basis, he said it had not been effective enough.

As a safety measure, Brazil’s Maritime Authority has successively reduced under-keel clearance, the distance between the lowest point of a ship’s hull and the channel bed. The restriction was reduced by 30 centimeters in April and by another 50 centimeters in August, totaling an 80-centimeter limitation in the turning basin.

As a result, vessels have had to operate below capacity. According to Lavor, each centimeter of draft reduction means roughly four refrigerated containers can no longer be loaded. Recently, one vessel had to reduce its draft from 12.70 meters to 12.50 meters, leaving about 2,400 metric tons of refrigerated export cargo on the quay.

The restrictions reduce the amount of cargo carried per vessel, lower operational efficiency and increase pressure on other ports. They can also lead to skipped port calls, higher freight rates, terminal congestion and additional costs for port users and Brazil’s foreign trade.

Centronave said the most urgent measure is effective dredging of the access channel, accompanied by updated bathymetry. The goal is to restore navigational conditions and allow ships to operate with greater capacity and safety.

Business groups estimate that draft restrictions could reduce cargo handling at the Itajaí-Navegantes port complex by up to 30% if the situation persists. In a statement sent to state-owned port company Codeba, which manages the Port of Itajaí, and to the Itajaí Port Authority, or SPI, the groups called for urgent dredging of the access channel.

Gabriela Costa, executive director of Brazil’s private port terminals association ATP, said shoaling is a recurring problem. She said repeated restrictions have created operational impacts and uncertainty, making a structural and permanent solution necessary for maintaining the port’s waterway infrastructure.

Dredging and South Breakwater repairs

Codeba will hold a tender on September 3 for the reconstruction and recovery of the South Breakwater, located at the mouth of the Itajaí-Açu River, near Atalaia Beach.

Centronave said the project is important, but does not by itself solve the port complex’s main operational bottleneck, which is located in the outer channel, according to a technical study presented to Codeba in July.

SPI said the hopper dredger Utrecht has begun removing sediment. The dredging campaign is expected to last seven to 10 days, depending on hydrological and weather conditions and the actual volume dredged.

After the dredging work, hydrographic surveys will be carried out to assess the results and support a possible review of operating parameters. Full recovery of channel depths can only be confirmed after the services are completed and the new bathymetric surveys are validated.

According to SPI, the channel remains navigable and operations are continuing under safety parameters defined by the Maritime Authority. The port authority attributed the draft restrictions to hydrological conditions and the effects of El Niño, which increased the flow of the Itajaí-Açu River and the amount of sediment carried into the channel.

SPI also said the channels and turning basins are within target depth levels. According to the authority, the current restriction stems from the technical difficulty of carrying out bathymetric measurements because of the high concentration of suspended material in the water.

Access channel concession

The tender notice for the private concession of the Port of Itajaí navigation channel could be published later in 2026, according to Brazil’s ports and airports ministry MPor.

The process is in the final stage of technical and legal review at Brazil’s waterway regulator Antaq and is expected to be submitted to the agency’s collegiate board in September.

After that decision, the tender notice may be published. MPor expects to hold the auction still in 2026, once the technical, regulatory and procedural stages are completed.

The project is part of the federal policy to grant port access channels to the private sector, a model that began with the Port of Paranaguá. The goal is to increase predictability in the maintenance of waterway infrastructure and ensure continuous investment in dredging, nautical signaling, vessel traffic monitoring and access management.

Antaq said it is reviewing the legal compliance, technical consistency and regulatory adequacy of the tender notice. According to the agency, the proposal will not need to return to MPor, which has already authorized the process to move forward after the review of studies and the decision by Brazil’s audit court TCU.

Source: A Tribuna

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