Port of Porto Alegre resumes long-haul shipping with arrival of Equinox Eagle

The Port of Porto Alegre has resumed long-haul shipping operations, marked this week by the berthing of the Equinox Eagle, a vessel carrying 11,000 tonnes of potassium nitrate from St. Petersburg, Russia. Registered in the Cayman Islands, the ship is the first large ocean-going vessel to call at the port since authorities formally announced the return of long-haul navigation on Jan. 15. The announcement was made jointly by Portos RS, the Brazilian Navy and the Rio Grande do Sul state government.

The operation underscores the port’s renewed logistical role and reflects a series of technical investments carried out by Portos RS, which reports to the state Secretariat for Logistics and Transport, in coordination with the maritime authority and pilotage services. The measures included channel dredging, bathymetric surveys, upgrades to navigational aids and operational validation of navigability conditions. Night-time navigation has also been authorized on a complementary basis, expanding operational flexibility.

According to state Logistics and Transport Secretary Juvir Costella, the return of deep-sea navigation is a key step in strengthening the state’s economic development. “Consolidating this operating model not only represents progress for inland waterways, but is also crucial to positioning Rio Grande do Sul to attract larger investments and new business models for the sector,” he said.

Portos RS said the structured dredging program designed to ensure full navigability involves investments of around 258 million reais, funded through the Rio Grande Plan Fund (Funrigs). The works cover strategic stretches of the Patos Lagoon, Guaíba Lake, the Jacuí River and adjacent waterways. Continuous hydrographic surveys have also been contracted to keep data provided to the Brazilian Navy up to date.

“The resumption of deep-sea shipping and the authorization of night-time navigation are the result of planning, sustained investment and a commitment to navigational safety. We have restructured the waterway with dredging, bathymetry and an ongoing navigational aids contract. Today, we have a reliable and safe waterway, ready to support the growth of port activity,” said Portos RS chief executive Cristiano Klinger.

With the new operating framework, the Port of Porto Alegre is once again integrated into international cargo routes, boosting its relevance within Brazil’s port system. The arrival of the Equinox Eagle marks the start of this new phase and highlights the terminal’s technical capacity to receive and handle deep-sea vessels.

Source: Rio Grande do Sul Secretariat for Logistics and Transport

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