Access channel to ports in Santa Catarina decreases depth due to lack of dredging

The access channel to the ports of Itajaí and Navegantes, in Santa Catarina, lost around 30 centimeters of operational depth after a period of almost two months without dredging.

The reduction could directly affect port logistics. The limitation can generate an impact of up to 10% on cargo movement in Santa Catarina ports, for example.

In practice, the restriction makes it difficult for larger ships to enter, especially container vessels – the type of cargo handled by the two ports – which were already scheduled to dock in the region.

The dredging service was interrupted at the beginning of the year and was only resumed at the beginning of April, through emergency contracting. Still, even after about a month of resumption, the responsible port authority – Codeba (Companhia Docas do Estado da Bahia) – did not forward to the Port Authority a new bathymetric survey, an essential document to define navigation conditions.

Given the lack of update, the Port Authority carried out, on Tuesday (28), an official check that indicated the need for an additional clearance of 30 centimeters below the keel in operational areas

The last available bathymetric survey was from January and was valid until March 22nd. On the 26th of that month, in a document the Captaincy had warned the port authority about the risks, at a time when the channel had no active dredging contract.

This is not the first time the region has faced the problem. At the beginning of 2025, the service was also interrupted, at the time due to lack of payment to the company Van Oord, responsible for the dredging – the same company that resumed operations under the current emergency contract.

The situation adds to a recent history of administrative instability and political disputes involving the Port of Itajaí. After financial and operational difficulties of the then local superintendency, management was transferred, in January 2025, to the Port Authority of Santos, at the request of the Ministry of Ports and Airports.

The change, however, intensified political tensions in the region. The manager appointed at the time, João Paulo, was a pre-candidate for mayor of Itajaí and was nominated by the PT, which generated friction with the then mayor of the city, who is from the PL. Faced with the impasse, the federal government decided to transfer the administration of the port once again, this time to Codeba.

Initially, the company did not intend to carry out a new emergency contract for dredging, prioritizing the structuring of the definitive concession for the access channel, according to the report. However, after pressure from sector agents and dialogue with the ministry, the decision was reviewed.

Currently, the concession project for the Port of Itajaí access channel is under analysis at the TCU (Federal Audit Court). The expectation, according to sources involved, is that the process will be brought to the Court’s plenary in June.