New container area at the Port of Santos to remain unavailable for at least 4 years

The STS10 area, designated for container operations and currently located on the Saboó pier in the Port of Santos, will not be operational for at least another four years. This timeline aligns with the deadline for building two viaducts in Alemoa, which are essential for easing access to the Right Bank. Until these structures are in place, the development of new container terminals is not feasible, stated Anderson Pomini, president of the Port Authority of Santos (APS), in a press conference on Aug 1st.

STS10 is embroiled in controversies and disputes among port companies, with various factions pressuring the Federal Government either for or against a mega terminal in the area. Consequently, no progress has been made.

“Before we expand and consider new terminals, we need to ensure adequate access routes,” emphasizes Pomini. “If STS10 was currently operating as designed, the city would be completely at a standstill in the Alemoa region. Today, it is partially at a standstill,” he added.

Construction Plans

According to Pomini, APS has a counterpart credit with the Internal Railway of the Port of Santos (Fips) of nearly R$1 billion. Of this amount, R$250 million will be allocated for the construction of the two viaducts within four years.

The plan is to contract Ecovias, the concession holder of the Anchieta-Imigrantes System (SAI), for the construction. An authorization term will be signed with the State Government, which oversees the concession.

The exact locations of the viaducts are yet to be decided.

Pomini explained that Ecovias was chosen due to their fast work and connection with outer roads. The official documentation is pending and already with the State Government.

Future Projects

The construction timeframe of the viaducts will guide other projects. For instance, during this period, the STS10 could be transferred to Vila dos Criadores in Alemoa, an area with irregular housing that the Port Authority wants to incorporate into the Organized Port layout.

The new access routes will also facilitate the transfer of the cruise terminal from Outeirinhos to Valongo. Pomini revealed that he is awaiting the Concais investment plan for the new passenger terminal, which he plans to submit to the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq) this month. Antaq is responsible for organizing the costs. Once this is done, the documentation will be returned for contract signing and then forwarded to the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU). Construction is scheduled to start next year.

“The Concais terminal will use the area where Ecoporto is currently located. It will take over this structure and a portion of the hinterland zone. Additionally, we included an area that belonged to the City Hall in the Port Polygonal so that it can function as a parking garage,” explains Pomini.

Integration and Access

Pomini reinforces the need for the two viaducts to be in harmony with the areas designated for both passengers and cargo.

“Last year, we received 1.1 million tourists. After the implementation of this internationally recognized terminal, our capacity will double to 2.5 million tourists. And I need adequate roads to accommodate these tourists, in addition to the airport (in Guarujá) operating,” he argued.

“That is why we intend to include Vila dos Criadores in the Port Polygon and ensure the region is ready and suitable for operations with general cargo, alongside delivering the planned viaducts,” he adds.

The chart below uses DataLiner data to compare long-haul container imports and exports at the Port of Santos between January 2021 and June 2024.

Santos Container Movement | Jan 2021 – Jun 2024 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Footbridge Completion

According to the APS schedule, a new access to Valongo Park is under construction and will be completed in December of this year.

The aerial boulevard, connecting the Historic Center with the park, is part of the second phase of the project, managed by the Internal Railway of the Port of Santos (Fips).

This phase includes warehouses 1, 2, and 3 and the restoration of Casa de Pedra, with full completion scheduled for July 2025 and a total cost of R$30 million.

“There will be 30,000 meters of park space, completing the 15,000 meters successfully inaugurated almost a month ago. This effectively integrated the Port with the City, albeit a small sample of what we can do at the beginning of the second phase. We will have technical meetings with the companies involved in this construction, but in July, we intend to inaugurate the entire Valongo Park,” explains Pomini.

A notice call will be issued to define which company or consortium will be responsible for managing and using the entire park, preserving special dates for the City Hall and the Port of Santos, adds Pomini.

Submerged Tunnel

Pomini also clarified that the final decision regarding the route of the Santos-Guarujá tunnel rests with the Port of Santos.

He attributed the submission of the 2012 Dersa project to Cetesb for a preliminary environmental license (LP) to a “lack of communication.” The document, submitted with the Environmental Impact Study and Report (EIA-Rima) developed by the Economic Research Institute Foundation (Fipe), was sent by the State Government.

The project proposed a dual carriageway in the Macuco neighborhood in Santos, implying 124 expropriations in the city. However, the Port Project, developed by a joint committee led by the port administration in 2023, does not foresee any expropriations.

“The State Government has a huge responsibility with thousands of projects underway, and the Port does the same. So, it is natural that there is a lack of communication. The technical sector sent a different route to Cetesb than the one we discussed and decided on for Cetesb. Still, we were immediately alerted by the Residents’ Association (of Macuco) and have formally communicated this to Cetesb and all members of the Technical Cooperation Agreement. This is absolutely normal,” he states. “It is a project that involves several entities, but it will be carried out in the Port of Santos, impacting port operations. Therefore, the final word on the route will be ours,” he adds.

Despite the issue, the public hearing for the environmental license is still scheduled for this month, along with other dates.

“The (environmental) license is now scheduled for the end of the year (November), the publication of the notice for the first half of 2025, and the start of the works for the second half of next year. A good dialogue is also maintained, with technicians talking. It is worth highlighting the goodwill of the State Government to effectively get this project off the ground,” he concludes.

Source: A Tribuna

Click here to read the original news report: https://www.atribuna.com.br/noticias/portomar/area-para-conteineres-no-porto-de-santos-n-o-sai-antes-de-novos-viadutos-diz-autoridade-portuaria-1.428923

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