Itajaí port access channel suspends vessel maneuvers after heavy rains

The Itajaí port access channel has been closed to all vessel maneuvers since 4:20 p.m. on Monday, August 31, by order of Brazil’s Maritime Authority, after heavy rains sharply increased river currents in the Itajaí-Açu basin.

The suspension affects the access channel to the Itajaí Port Complex, one of the main port areas in southern Brazil’s Santa Catarina state.

According to the Itajaí Port Authority, currents exceeded the safety limits for vessel arrivals and departures. For ships under 280 meters long, for example, some maneuvers are allowed only when currents remain at or below 2 knots.

The intense rainfall increased the river’s discharge and also carried more sediment into the access channel, which could accelerate shoaling and reduce depth in some sections.

“This situation also occurs in a climate context influenced by El Niño, which has been affecting the region’s hydrological conditions and contributing to episodes of intense rainfall and increased river discharge in the Itajaí-Açu basin,” the port authority said in a statement.

Despite the adverse conditions, the trailing suction hopper dredger Utrecht has remained in operation in the channel since Sunday, August 30, removing sediment from the seabed.

The port authority said it is monitoring hydrological, weather and operational conditions together with the Brazilian Navy, pilots and other port-complex stakeholders.

So far, there is no date set for a new assessment of channel conditions. The resumption of vessel maneuvers in the Itajaí port access channel will depend on an improvement in safety conditions.

Source: Agencia Infra

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