Brazil’s largest dredging project has just started in the Babitonga bay, in Santa Catarina. The dredger Galileu Galilei, from the Belgian company Jan De Nul, considered one of the most advanced in the world, has already begun work on deepening the access channel.
The project is key for one of the benefiting ports, São Francisco do Sul, and has a value of over US$ 61 million and aims to increase the port’s draft from 14 to 16 meters. Once completed, which is expected in the second half of 2026, the Babitonga Bay will become the first port complex in Brazil with the capacity to receive ships up to 366 meters in length fully loaded.
The dredger, which docked in São Francisco do Sul after the issuance of the final environmental license by Ibama, is already working on deepening the outer channel, an area whose sediments cannot be dumped on the beach.
Environmental and touristic benefits
While the channel is being dredged, the pipeline for the sand replenishment on the Itapoá waterfront, specifically at Pontal do Norte beach, has already been installed. The idea is that, in the coming weeks, the pipeline will be extended offshore to widen the beach by up to 200 meters, depending on weather conditions.
Vinicius Delfim, contract manager for Jan De Nul do Brasil, explained that the project’s logistics aim to minimize disruptions to local tourism. However, he clarified that, until the sand regeneration begins, residents and tourists will see the pipeline occupying about 400 meters of the beach.
This project stands out for being an unprecedented partnership between the ports and municipalities of Santa Catarina, combining development and environmental preservation.
