Port of Salvador Prepares For Berthing Of World-Class Containerships

In a significant development for Brazilian maritime trade, the Port of Salvador’s Container Terminal will now accommodate 366m-class container ships at full load, enabling direct connections to Asian markets and solidifying its position as the Northeast’s primary hub.

This pioneering feat is made possible by a cutting-edge dynamic draft system used by Bahia State Docks Company (CODEBA). The system, known as ReDRAFT, harnesses data on vessel characteristics, wind patterns, currents, waves, and tides to optimize channel utilization, particularly during keel restriction times.

Endorsed by the Maritime Authority, represented by the Navy’s Bahia Captaincy, and officially sanctioned on May 8, the ReDRAFT system will be operated, maintained, and updated by CODEBA on a trial basis for 180 days. The arrival of fully loaded 366-meter container ships heralds a new era of cargo operations efficiency at the Port of Salvador.

Antonio Gobbo, President of CODEBA and Federal Port Authority in Bahia, emphasized the strategic significance of this milestone, stating, “Aided by the exceptional navigational conditions in All Saint’s Bay, we’re making technological strides to accommodate these large vessels in Salvador. Our aim is to establish and fortify a transoceanic route to Bahia’s capital. The next objective is to adapt access channels through the Integrated Dredging Plan of All Saint’s Bay Port Complex to accommodate even larger 400m-class ships, which will dominate long-haul containerized cargo freight for decades to come.”

The successful docking of these vessels underscores CODEBA’s dedication, in collaboration with the Ministry of Ports and Airports and the Federal Government, to enhancing infrastructure and incorporating new technologies for port operations. It marks a significant achievement for Bahia and solidifies the Port of Salvador’s pivotal role as a long-haul hub in the Northeast Region.

The chart below shows the Port of Salvador’s container exports, measured in Twenty-foot Equivalent Units, between Jan 2021 and Mar 2024. The data is from DataLiner.

Salvador Container Exports | Jan 2021 – Mar 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

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