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The completion of extensive dredging and infrastructure modernisation works at the south-eastern port has enabled the Rio de Janeiro to accommodate larger vessels
New Panamax Era
Earlier this month, the Port of Rio de Janeiro achieved a historic milestone by welcoming its first-ever 366-metre-long New Panamax vessel. The Panamanian-flagged containership features a 48.4-metre beam and a capacity of 14,131 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).
New Panamax (or Neopanamax) refers to a class of ships designed to fit the expanded locks of the Panama Canal, which can carry more than the original Panamax vessels. The upgrades at Rio de Janeiro now allow it to host these larger ships, further integrating the south-eastern port into global shipping routes.
Infrastructure upgrades
The modernisation initiative on the main access channel enabled this unprecedented operation. Key infrastructure improvements included a substantial public investment – reported as USD 32 million – deepening the minimum access channel depth from 15 to 16.2 metres, upgrading the operational draft to 15.3 metres, and installing a new nautical signalling and buoy system on the port access. The Port Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro has already homologated these upgrades.
Regional Impact
Federal authorities anticipate that the modernisation of Rio’s waterway will reduce structural logistics costs, create economies of scale, and remove previous operation constraints for ship operators.
According to the Ministry of Ports and Airports, currently, in addition to Rio de Janeiro, only the ports of Santos (São Paulo), Salvador (Bahia), Itaguaí (Rio de Janeiro), Paranaguá (Paraná), and Pecém (Ceará) can accommodate ships with a length overall (LOA) of up to 366 metres.
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