Brazil’s Port of Santos Plans 162% Expansion with Addition of Coastal Areas Pending Government Approval

The Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) is expected to outline a new expansion plan for the Port of Santos area later this month, through the publication of an ordinance. This is the expectation of Anderson Pomini, President of the Santos Port Authority (APS).

“MPor may authorize all the areas we requested for the new port boundary, or only part of them at this stage,” said Pomini in an interview with A Tribuna.

Currently, Brazil’s largest port complex spans 7.8 million square meters. The port authority aims to incorporate 15 areas located in Santos, São Vicente, Guarujá, and Cubatão, totaling 12.6 million square meters. If fully approved, the Port of Santos would expand its designated area to 20.4 million square meters over the next 30 years—a 162.4% increase.

MPor has not yet set a date to publish the ordinance authorizing the expansion. The ministry states that it is awaiting final adjustments to the documentation requested from APS.

“Once we receive the response from the Port Authority, deadlines for completing the process will be redefined. The definition of the areas will be formalized through an ordinance,” the ministry said in a statement.

APS clarified that after submitting and evaluating all documentation for the proposed expansion areas in each municipality, the ministry raised additional questions. “APS will finalize the revisions and resend all documentation to MPor, which will then make the final decision on the boundary expansion.”

According to Pomini, “All due diligence required for the Port of Santos regarding this boundary expansion has been submitted to the National Secretariat of Ports. We are proposing the largest expansion in the port’s history,” he emphasized.

The port president noted that public consultations were conducted for the inclusion of Vila dos Criadores in Santos and all areas in São Vicente. Subsequently, MPor also held a 30-day online public consultation to receive suggestions for adjustments. “So we went beyond what the regulations require,” said Pomini.

MPor’s public consultation ended on May 22. “The National Secretariat of Ports forwarded the contributions received during the public consultation for technical analysis and preparation of responses,” the ministry stated.

Targeted Areas

The most sought-after area in the port’s expansion plan is Vila dos Criadores, located in Alemoa, Santos, covering 420,000 square meters. However, the land is contaminated by a former landfill and currently inhabited by about 5,000 people. Situated on the border between Santos and Cubatão, near the Casqueiro River, the area has been embroiled in a 23-year legal dispute. A public hearing on the area took place in June 2024 at APS headquarters.

In January of this year, the city of São Vicente offered APS a greenfield site in its mainland region, spanning 6.2 million square meters—equivalent to 574 soccer fields—located between the Humaitá Housing Complex and the banks of the Santana River, near kilometer 280 of Padre Manuel da Nóbrega Highway.

The municipality also proposed the inclusion of Porto de Naus, a historical ruin on an 850,000-square-meter site. It was once home to Brazil’s first customs pier and later a sugar mill, located near the Suspension Bridge. The aim is to develop new waterway access points in these regions.

Source: A Tribuna

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