Ships can carry more cargo per trip after expansion
TCP, the company that manages the Paranaguá Container Terminal, received the MSC Bianca ship in the last week of January, the first container ship to operate with the new operational draft (depth between the lowest part of the ship and the waterline) of the access channel to the Port of Paranaguá, of 13.30 meters.
With a length of 328 meters (LOA), a width of 48 meters (beam), and a capacity to carry more than 11,000 TEUs (a measure equivalent to a 20-foot container), the ship’s docking marks the beginning of a new phase for the Terminal after the depth parameters were updated.
According to Carolina Merkle Brown, commercial manager for shipowners at TCP, the operation of the first ship under the new dimensions translates, in practice, into benefits for customers and shipowners.
“With the new draft, ships can optimize and increase the volume of shipments and unloadings at our port, reducing operational limitations and increasing the predictability of operations. In practice, this translates into better use of vessel capacity and real efficiency gains. The result is greater competitiveness for shipowners, exporters, and importers using the Terminal, with the potential for reduced logistics costs and greater security in supply chain planning,” she explains.
Since 2024, the operational draft of the port access channel has been gradually expanded, and the most recent revision, approved by Portos do Paraná and approved by the Brazilian Navy and Praticagem, allows for capacity gains according to the tide window and the size of the vessels: for ships up to 300 meters in length, the zero tide draft increases from 12.80 to 13.00 meters, reaching up to 13.30 meters with a 30-centimeter positive tide.
Ships from 336 to 366 meters maintain the limit of 12.80 meters at zero tide, but now operate at 13.10 meters with a 30-centimeter positive tide and a maximum draft of 13.30 meters when the tide reaches 50 centimeters. Considering this increase in the conditions under which the maximum draft is applied, it is estimated that container ships will be able to transport approximately 400 additional full TEUs per trip, with a direct impact on logistics efficiency and the volume handled by the Terminal.
According to Rafael Stein Santos, institutional and legal superintendent at TCP, “the deepening of the access channel is a catalyst for the economy of the region and the country, because with the gain in operational capacity, all economic activities that are directly or indirectly linked to the port also grow at the same pace. The efforts made, especially by the Port Authority, to improve access to the Port are fundamental for TCP to remain at the forefront of port operations in Brazil.”
A pioneer in the operation of large vessels, TCP was the first port terminal in Brazil to receive ships 366 meters in length. With the new draft parameters, these vessels can now use the Terminal with even greater efficiency and capacity, reinforcing Paranaguá’s position as a strategic hub for long-haul routes.
The Paranaguá Container Terminal is the largest hub for shipping lines on the Brazilian coast, with 23 fixed weekly calls between long-haul and coastal operations.
