Santos ready for New Panamax 366-meter vessels

Despite the Port of Santos being able to receive ships up to 366 meters in length, after a long period of studies and expectations, there is still no forecast as to when larger cargo ships will come to the Santos port complex. According to sector executives, the reasons are market issues aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic and operational draft limitations in the port access channel.

In February, the Brazilian Navy authorized access for ships between 350 and 366 meters to the Port of Santos. However, the release is subject to rules imposed by the maritime authority with the goal of avoiding accidents. Requirements include the need for two professional pilots who guide the maneuvers, in addition to tugboats and favorable weather and sea conditions.

Until February, the Santos pier was authorized to receive vessels of up to 340 meters with a capacity to transport around 9,000 TEU. Now, with the Navy’s approval, up to 14,000 TEU can be transported by these New Panamax freighters that are 366 meters in length and 52 meters in width.

But, according to executives from container installations, there are no ship calls forecast. For the president of Brasil Terminal Portuário (BTP), Ricardo Arten, even with the authorization of the Brazilian Navy, there is no feasibility for these vessels to use their full capacity. Today, only ships with a draft of up to 14.2 meters can travel through the Santos pier navigation channel. This means that the larger freighters do not have their capacity fully utilized since, when loaded, they have an even greater draft of 16 meters.

“The Santos pier is prepared to receive the ship, but the navigation channel is not. Investments in deepening and maintenance dredging are essential to enable access. Without enough water, there is no port access. In this sense, the depth of a shipping channel is vital to the survival of a port operation. Draft losses from a lack of maintenance due to the judicialization of public bidding, for example, can have a huge impact on the business’ profitability”, highlighted the president of BTP.

Source: The Tribune

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https://www.atribuna.com.br/noticias/portomar/porto-de-santos-aguarda-navios-de-366-metros

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