Brazil's Santos Port Authority (APS) announced it has signed a contract on June 12 to dredge and deepen the navigation channel of the Port of Santos to 16 metres.
The project is aimed at expanding the capacity of the port complex and meeting the requirements of the shipping market.
The contract was awarded to the Brazilian unit of Belgian dredging contractor Jan de Nul valued at BRL617.9 million ($121.7 million) over a five-year period. This agreement also includes maintenance dredging of the new channel for a period of two years.
This project represents the first deepening of the channel in 14 years, following a previous expansion that increased the depth to 15 metres.
The authority noted that during this period, vessels have evolved and now require a greater draft.
According to APS President Anderson Pomini, the funding fulfills the expansion plan for the Port of Santos so that cargo ships can access the terminal "without difficulty."
