Fog Closes Port of Santos for Twice as Many Hours as Last Year

Due to fog and other adverse weather conditions that made safe navigation impossible, the Port of Santos’ channel has already been closed for more than twice the number of hours compared to all of 2023.

As of August, the total duration of interruptions reached 161 hours and 30 minutes, according to data from the Santos Port Authority (APS). This figure for the first eight months of 2024 is 101.6% higher than last year’s total of 80 hours of closure.

Last month saw the highest number of closures in the past four years, with 116 hours and 35 minutes of interruptions, nearly three times the 44 hours and 55 minutes recorded from January to July of this year. In September, though it is still early, there have already been over 30 hours of interruptions.

Despite these significant disruptions caused by the weather, the Santos Port Authority stated that cargo operations at the Port of Santos continue without substantial financial losses.

“While the closure of the navigation channel due to fog is a negative impact, the Port of Santos has shown resilience with record-breaking cargo movements, including in August 2024. The port continues to balance necessary logistical efficiency with operational safety,” the APS noted.

In recent years, only 2022 surpassed 100 hours of closure, with a total of 132 hours and 55 minutes due to poor visibility from fog or rough sea conditions.

“There is no port in the world that operates in restricted waters, like Santos, with zero visibility. However, there are instances where pilots began navigation under normal conditions and were then caught by fog during their journey. Despite the high risk, all completed their work successfully,” said Fábio Mello Fontes, president of the São Paulo Pilots Association.

The APS plans to monitor studies from other agencies on the phenomenon, including the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe).

Above Normal

Meteorologist Guilherme Borges from the Climatempo Institute attributes the persistent fog and mist to several periods of above-normal temperatures, as well as repeated fires in various parts of São Paulo state.

“The winter had very warm periods, and the flow of warmer air from central Brazil over the colder ocean waters promotes the formation of fog and mist. These more frequent heat events are related to climate change, which has increased the occurrence of above-normal temperatures,” Borges explains.

Source: A Tribuna

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