Itajaí Port Steps Up Dredging as El Niño Takes Its Toll

The Itajaí Port Authority (SPI) reported that it is carrying out daily, uninterrupted maintenance dredging operations in the port complex's access channel, using the dredger Njord, which employs a water injection system to move bottom sediments out to sea via the current of the Itajaí-Açu River. As part of the maintenance and operational recovery plan, the port will welcome back the trailing suction hopper dredger Utrecht in November, which will remove material from the channel bed and the turning basins to complement the Njord's daily work.

According to the SPI, in 2026 the port complex faced particularly difficult hydrological conditions linked to the effects of El Niño, with intensified rainfall and stronger currents in the Itajaí-Açu River increasing sediment transport and deposition in the channel, slightly affecting depths in certain stretches. This scenario required constant maintenance efforts, including daily dredging, intensified bathymetric monitoring and planning of supplementary interventions.

The outlet Jornal Portuario reported that the SPI sent an official letter to the Brazilian Navy to clarify that dredging is carried out daily, in response to local press reports suggesting a possible halt to the works. The port authority stressed that the arrival of the Utrecht will serve as supplementary support to remove accumulated bottom sediment and restore standard depths, rather than signaling the resumption of suspended services.

The latest full bathymetric survey, carried out in September, recorded depths of 13.40 meters in the outer channel, 13.10 meters in the inner channel, 12.80 meters in turning basin 1 and 13.50 meters in turning basin 2. Despite the challenges posed by these conditions, the channel remains navigable within the operational limits (FAQ) set by the Brazilian Navy to ensure vessel safety. Once the Utrecht's dredging work is completed, the SPI will submit new bathymetric surveys to the Navy for the restoration of the channel's design depths.

The superintendent of the Port of Itajaí, Artur Antunes Pereira, stated that the port undergoes dredging on a daily basis and that the Njord works continuously to maintain the channel, even during this period of exceptionally adverse weather conditions. Pereira noted that in recent months there has been a significant intensification of the natural sedimentation process due to hydrological conditions linked to El Niño, and that the dredger Utrecht will arrive in the coming days to restore the channel's standard depth, reaffirming the commitment to navigational safety and the continuity of operations.