Porto Itapoá aims for South America container port top spot by 2023

This latest investment will see the acquisition of new equipment and a significant expansion of its operational area. With this expansion, the terminal aims to become the largest container port in South America by 2033, a title currently held by the Port of Santos.

This latest expansion phase marks the fourth stage of a broader project aimed at significantly increasing the port’s capacity. Coupled with previously announced and ongoing investments, the total investment in the project now stands at $550 million.

Porto Itapoá has experienced significant growth. In 2024, the port recorded its best-ever first half, handling 597,000 teu, a 12% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Key elements of the fourth phase include modernising port gates, adding an additional 120,000 square metres of operational area, and acquiring new equipment, including an eighth ship-to-shore (STS) crane and 12 rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs). Construction is already underway and expected to be completed in 2025.

Felipe Fioravanti Kaufmann, the port’s Business Development Director, explained that these investments are driven by market demand. “The market demands increased capacity. Today, from Santos to Rio Grande, we handle 8.6 million teu. By 2040, this figure is expected to reach 15 million,” he stated.

Recently, the port secured an environmental permit for dredging the access channel to Babitonga Bay, which will allow for larger vessels of up to 366 metres in length.

“We are operationally prepared to receive 400-metre-vessels, for example, in terms of crane size. What we lack is the necessary waterway,” said Kaufmann.

The dredging project, undertaken in partnership with the state government, will be financed by the private port.