Santos Brasil to Invest R$75 Million in Tecon Imbituba Expansion Through 2028

The Tecon Imbituba expansion is bringing new equipment, technology upgrades and infrastructure improvements to Santos Brasil’s container and general cargo terminal in southern Santa Catarina.

Over the past 18 months, the company has invested R$36 million in the terminal, including R$33 million in 2026 alone, to increase operational capacity, improve efficiency and strengthen customer relationships. Another R$75 million is planned through 2028, bringing total investment to R$111 million over approximately three years.

Among the main developments is the arrival of a new mobile harbor crane (MHC) on Oct. 5. The equipment will operate alongside the terminal’s two existing ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, increasing quayside productivity and providing greater flexibility to handle both regular shipping services and additional vessel calls requested by shipping lines. It will also allow the terminal to deploy a third stevedoring gang, consisting of workers and equipment dedicated to container handling during vessel operations.

Other equipment acquisitions include 12 truck chassis, two container lifting frames, six reach stackers for container handling and an empty container handler. Plans also include installing a new scanner and increasing the number of electrical outlets for refrigerated containers, known as reefers.

Tecon Imbituba’s modernization program has also involved the introduction of three major technological upgrades: an Operations Control Center (CCO), the new OPUS Terminal Operating System (TOS), and improvements to the terminal’s wireless network, which will incorporate 5G technology. The upgrades are intended to improve operational safety and efficiency, strengthen corporate management systems and facilitate customer access to the company’s digital platforms.

The Operations Control Center, implemented in 2025, provides greater real-time oversight of terminal activities through screen-based monitoring, improving operational efficiency and safety.

The TOS, operational since July, is a platform that integrates and optimizes container handling and cargo flows across the yard, gate and quay. It also manages documentation and automation processes related to cargo and vessel movements, helping improve service levels, productivity and operational predictability.

Growing Demand Supports Tecon Imbituba Expansion

The investments accompany Santos Brasil’s commercial development efforts in the region, which are already reflected in rising cargo volumes. Between January and September 2026, Tecon Imbituba handled 131,263 TEUs, surpassing in just nine months its previous full-year record of 123,681 TEUs, set in 2024.

In addition to its four regular shipping services — three long-haul services and one coastal shipping service — the terminal has expanded its handling of extra calls, or vessel calls not included in its regular operating schedule. Ten such calls were handled this year, accounting for 11% of total container throughput through September. According to the company, the figures demonstrate Tecon Imbituba’s ability to handle both regular and additional demand while maintaining high productivity levels.

Charles Thibault, Santos Brasil’s Director of Terminals, said setting a new annual throughput record with three months remaining in the year demonstrates Tecon Imbituba’s consistent operational progress and reinforces customer confidence in the terminal.

“Our investments and efforts to improve service levels are generating volumes and results. We always seek to stay ahead of demand by investing in technology, infrastructure and efficiency to make the terminal increasingly competitive. Our goal is to keep pace with growing logistics demand in southern Brazil and establish ourselves as a relevant logistics solution,” Thibault said.

With an annual handling capacity of 450,000 TEUs, Tecon Imbituba is strategically located in southern Brazil, between the state capitals of Curitiba and Porto Alegre and close to Florianópolis.

Its multimodal connections, including road access via the BR-101 highway, rail links and maritime connections, combined with its location in a sheltered deep-water port, allow it to accommodate the largest vessels calling at the Brazilian coast without draft or weather-related restrictions, according to the company. The terminal also operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integration with Tecon Santos, one of Latin America’s largest and most efficient container terminals, also operated by Santos Brasil at the Port of Santos, allows cargo handled through Imbituba to access a broad network of international shipping routes via Santos, connecting production in southern Brazil with major global markets.

Source: Santos Brasil

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