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Update 13 December 2022: The Santos Pilot Association issued a circular to the local shipping community and authorities establishing minimum draft limitations and maximum trim to ensure safe conditions of governability in the port channel, even in the face of possible extreme wind conditions. It pointed out that in the same way that the maximum draft limits are dictated by the under keel clearance (UKC), minimum limits are defined by the vessel’s sail area.
Accordingly, Santos Pilot Association proposed – and the maritime and port authorities accepted – new minimum drafts and trim, as per the below table, which has been added to the attached Draft Revision 247 of September 2022:
| Deadweight | Minimum draft (fwd) | Maximum trim (aft) | Minimum propeller immersion |
| DWT ≤ 10,000 | ≥ 2.5 m | 2.5 m | 100% |
| 10,001 ≤ DWT ≤ 20,000 | ≥ 3.0 m | 2.5 m | 100% |
| 20,001 ≤ DWT ≤ 50,000 | ≥ 3.0 m | 3.0 m | 90% |
| 50,001 ≤ DWT ≤ 80,000 | ≥ 4.0 m | 1.5% LOA | 90% |
| 80,001 ≤ DWT ≤ 100,000 | ≥ 5.0 m | 0.7% LOA | 90% |
| 100,001 ≤ DWT ≤ 200,000 | ≥ 6.3 m | 0.7% LOA | 90% |
| DWT > 200.001 | ≥ 3.0 | 0.7% LOA | 90% |
Update 10 September 2022: SPA reported draft changes in various berths in the Port of Santos. Please refer to the attached Revision 247 for the latest draft limitations.
Update 2 February 2022: SPA reported a further reduction in the operational draft limits alongside some of the berths within the commercial quay. For ease of reference, the attached document highlights the berths that have undergone changes.
Update 31 May 2021: based on the latest bathymetric results, Santos Port Authority (SPA) announced a reduction of the operational draft alongside some of the commercial berths within its jurisdiction, namely:
Berth and change in metres (low tide and high tide, respectively)
- Alamoa 1 reduced to 12.10/12.40
- Ilha Barnabe SP reduced to 09.00/10.10
- Ilha Barnabe BC reduced to 10.00/10.30 LOA >175 m or 9.80/10.10 LOA <175 m
- Shed 15 (ARM 15) reduced to 10.00/11.20
- Shed 29/30 (ARM 29/30) reduced to 11.20/11.50
- Shed 33 (ARM 33) reduced to 11.20/11.50
- Shed 33/34 (ARM 33/34) reduced to 11.20/11.50
- TEV reduced to 13.10/13.40 (bollards 437 to 442) or 12.70/13.00 (bollards 442 to 452)
Update 5 January 2021: Santos Port Authority issued a review of the operation drafts in the Port of Santos.
The main changes in relation to the 18 December 2020 figures were the following:
Berth Change (m) in high tide and low tide
- Saboo 1 (CS 01): reduced from 10.70/11.00 to 10.40/10.70
- Shed 29 (ARM 29): reduced from 11.50/11.80 to 11.40/11.70
The Santos Port Authority announced new operational drafts on various berths along the four sections of the navigation channel effective from 18 December 2020.
Notable changes were observed on the following berths:
Berth Minimum/maximum draft (m)
- Tecon 1: 13.80/14.10
- Tecon 2: 14.20/14.50
- Shed 35 (p.2): 13.50/13.80
- Barnabe Isl. (BC): 10.00/10.30
Of course, the maximum operation draft alongside the berth is conditioned to the draft limitation prevailing on the navigation channel section in which they are located, as follows:
Section Minimum/maximum draft (m)
- First: 13.80/14.10
- Second: 13.50/14.50
- Third: 13.50/14.50
- Fourth: 13.50/14.50 (up to Alemoa) 12.70/13.70 (after Alemoa)
Besides, the operational drafts in the berths that handle solid bulk cargoes had a favourable assessment by the local maritime authority (Port Captaincy of the Ports of Sao Paulo – CPSP) for compliance with the NAABSA Clause, namely:
Left bank (Guaruja City):
- Terminal de Graos do Guaruja (TGG)
- Terminal de Exportacao de Acucar do Guaruja (TEAG)
- Terminal de Exportacao do Guaruja (TEG)
Right margin (Santos City):
- Shed 39 (ADM)
- Shed 38
- Outeirinhos 2 & 3
- Shed 20/21 (Terminal Acucareira da Copersucar – TAC)
- Shed 19 (Rumo Terminal)
- Shed 16/17 (Rumo Terminal)
- Shed 12A
Published 20 December 2020. Updated 13 December 2022.
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