Rock removal at Santos channel to begin in July ahead of deepening works

Rock removal works in the Port of Santos navigation channel are scheduled to begin in July, clearing the way for the channel to be deepened from 15 meters to 16 meters.

The work involves breaking and removing rock formations from the waterway where conventional dredging is not enough. The project has already received an installation license from Ibama, Brazil’s federal environmental agency, and will be carried out by DTA Engenharia.

A study received by the Santos Port Authority in 2025 identified 31 rocky points in the channel, including areas at the entrance, the central section and the final stretch of the estuary, as well as access areas and berths.

The interventions will take place from July to October at three points in the navigation channel: Pedra do Barroso, near Ilha Barnabé; Pedra do Itapema, close to the Outeirinhos terminals; and Pedra do Teffé, near the Concais passenger terminal.

APS President Anderson Pomini said the environmental license allows the port authority to begin the preparatory works needed before the channel can be deepened to 16 meters.

Before the rocks are broken up, about 12,000 cubic meters of accumulated sediment will be removed. The rock removal will use a non-explosive method, relying on controlled mechanical impacts from equipment known as a drop chisel. The fragments will then be collected by a grab attached to a dredger.

The sediments will be taken to the port’s ocean disposal area, specifically grid Q7. The rocks will be transported to areas in the Alemoa and Saboó districts and may be reused in public-interest works.

Partial interruptions to vessel traffic may occur in the sections under intervention. The operation will follow maritime safety protocols and include continuous environmental monitoring.

DTA Engenharia signed an 18-month contract to prepare the basic and executive engineering designs and carry out the removal of the rocky material, estimated at 12,000 cubic meters. The investment is estimated at around R$17 million.

APS obtained Installation License No. 1,562/2026 from Ibama, authorizing the removal of rocks from the bottom of the Port of Santos navigation channel.

Source: A Tribuna

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