Submerged Rock Removal Resumed at the Port of São Francisco

Work to remove a large rock located near one of the ship berths at the Port of São Francisco do Sul was resumed this week.

The project, one of the most anticipated by the port community, is being carried out in two stages. It began in January and lasted one month in order to avoid a long interruption of the berth used by bulk carriers.

Now, with the end of the soybean harvest, the work has resumed. The objective is to remove a rocky outcrop of 370 cubic meters, equivalent to the size of five containers.

The rock is located at a depth of 10.5 meters, between berths 101 and 102. With its removal, the goal is to reach a depth of 14 meters in the area.

Currently, vessels are required to perform an additional maneuver to continue loading (to prevent the vessel’s bottom from contacting the rock), which increases operating time and costs, reaching up to R$100,000 per berthing.

In addition, the increased depth will allow each vessel to load an extra 1,500 tonnes of cargo.

The rock removal uses high-precision mechanical methods without the use of explosives, in compliance with a condition of the Ibama environmental license. Down-the-hole hammers and hydraulic breakers fragment the submerged rock, and a crane removes the material. This technique minimizes environmental impact and ensures the safety of the entire operation.

“Port planning has been essential to the completion of this work. It is a project that has been awaited for a long time and will bring productivity and efficiency gains to operations at the Port of São Francisco do Sul,” said the Secretary of Ports, Airports and Railways, Beto Martins.

“The rock removal has a direct impact on the port development of Santa Catarina, as it contributes to operational efficiency and reinforces safety and environmental sustainability,” said the port’s president, Cleverton Vieira.

Source: Port of São Francisco do Sul