From Containers to Cruise: Port of Itajaí Repurposes Terminal for Luxury Cars and Passenger Ships

With no container operations since December 2022, the port of itajaí, based in northern Santa Catarina, saw an unprecedented triple-berthing, with vessels operating on distinct fronts.

The vessels represented general cargo, luxurious and imported vehicles freight, and, of course, tourist cruises, such as the MSC Lirica, a newcomer to Itajaí.

Since November 23, the general cargo ship NJ Sun brought 34,598 tonnes of rebar and coils to the port. The vessel will continue operations for the next ten days, loading around 25,000 tonnes of sugar.

The second vessel, the Roll-On/Roll-Off Eurasian Highway, arrived Saturday morning with 1,171 vehicles on board. The Roll-On/Roll-Off operation began around 7 a.m. with BMW and GM cars.

The third ship, which also docked on Saturday morning, is the cruise ship MSC Lirica, making its debut in Itajaí with 1,100 passengers, marking the start of the 2023/2024 cruise season.

In a statement, the Port of Itajaí underscored that the concurrent operations were only possible thanks to the sensitivity of the intervening bodies, which allowed the cruise ship to dock at berth 2, exclusive for container ships.

That allowed general cargo operations to remain uninterrupted, representing a source of income for more than 300 families.

“The relocation of the cruise ship also represented safety and comfort to crew and passengers,” concludes the port’s statement.

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