Is Itajai’s critical turning circle soon to become reality?

In order to survive as a significant national container port Itajai needs to be able to accommodate these vessels carrying 9,000 teu or more but currently the Itajai Port Complex (IPC) is restricted by a 400 m diameter turning circle which only allows vessels up to 294 m to manoeuvre.

The port authority believes it has a maximum two-year window of opportunity to address the problem – the time it is expected to take for the competitor terminals to become fully operational, including establishing the necessary back-up logistics infrastructure.

The overriding need is perceived to the creation of a new turning basin with a 450 m diameter and on Tuesday this week (September 11), the port authority outlined a technical feasibility study for its construction that will allow the Itajai terminals to handle vessels 336 m long and 48.2 m wide.