Government expands boundaries of the Port of Santos

Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports has authorized an expansion of the official boundaries of the Port of Santos, in São Paulo state. The new parameters defining the port’s organized area were set out in an ordinance signed by Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho and published on Tuesday (10) in the federal government gazette.

The organized port area comprises port facilities as well as protection and access infrastructure. Port boundaries — known in Brazil as the polygon — define the physical limits within which the port authority exercises management powers. These limits are established by the federal executive branch and take into account factors such as maritime and land access, operational efficiency and existing infrastructure.

The Port of Santos is currently Brazil’s leader in container throughput, holding a 43% market share in the country. The following chart presents a historical overview of container imports and exports at the São Paulo-based terminal. This chart was compiled using DataLiner data:

Santos Port | Exports & Imports | Jan 2022 – Dec 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Speaking to Valor Econômico, the ministry’s national ports secretary, Alex Avila, said the Port of Santos area was expanded by 17.2 million square meters under the new ordinance. According to him, the change reshapes the port’s planning outlook, as the previous boundaries left no remaining room for expansion.

“We are looking at medium and long-term growth for the port, allowing it to create conditions for further expansion to serve the various cargo segments it handles,” Avila said. Of the additional 17.2 million square meters, 4.8 million are land areas and 12.4 million are water areas.

The decision follows a broader discussion on redefining the Port of Santos’ boundaries. In April 2025, the Ministry of Ports and Airports opened a public consultation on the expansion proposal. A plan put forward by the Santos Port Authority called for the port area to grow from the current 7.8 million square meters to more than 20 million square meters, incorporating areas in Cubatão, São Vicente and Bertioga, in addition to Santos and Guarujá.

In this initial step, Avila said, the ministry incorporated the elements on which consensus had already been reached. Debate is expected to continue, however, over other areas sought by the port authority that are considered strategically important from a port management perspective, such as Vila dos Criadores, Vila de São Vicente and additional areas in Cubatão. These sections could be included in a second revision of the port boundaries.

“We are continuing these analyses so that, in a possible second review of the boundaries, we may be able to include them within the port area,” Avila said. “That will still depend on further technical and legal analysis, to clarify all outstanding issues and avoid procedural weaknesses. Once those issues are addressed and resolved, a second revision of the port boundaries may take place.”

Based on the coordinates and technical parameters set out in the ordinance, the Santos Port Authority will now calculate the port’s new official coverage area.

Source: Valor Econômico

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