On the 70th Anniversary of the Port of São Francisco, Governor Says SC’s Port Terminals Will Become a National Benchmark

The celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Port of São Francisco do Sul, held on Tuesday, July 1, was marked by the announcement of new projects and the presence of hundreds of employees and guests.

In his speech, Governor Jorginho Mello praised the recent progress in the port’s infrastructure and emphasized the goal of making Santa Catarina’s ports a national reference. “Led by São Francisco, we will make Santa Catarina’s ports the best in Brazil — in performance, organization, and productivity — so that our terminals continue to outperform the national average,” he said.
According to Mello, the investments made over the last two years have transformed the port’s landscape: “I’m here to celebrate the R$ 80 million already invested in infrastructure to make São Francisco increasingly competitive.” He also announced new investments: “We are authorizing the use of dividends for the construction of a third lane on the BR-280 highway (R$ 12.5 million) and the publication of tenders for the restoration of Berth 201 (R$ 18 million) and the dust suppression system in the Export Corridor (R$ 11 million).” Additionally, several improvements were inaugurated, including the new Port Technology Park (R$ 10 million) and the renovation of pedestrian access to the terminal’s operational area.

Profit Sharing Program
The governor emphasized that the port is on an upward trajectory in terms of both service quality and revenue. He announced the implementation of a Profit Sharing Program (PPR), in which a portion of the port’s profits will be distributed equally among all employees — from executives to the lowest-paid workers. He also praised the terminal’s modernization: “The port is doing great. It used to be neglected. Now it looks different — clean, organized, and well-kept,” he said. “These achievements make us proud to be from Santa Catarina,” he concluded, earning applause from an audience of about 400 people.

R$ 600 Million in Investments
Port President Cleverton Vieira presented a positive outlook for the current administration, which is expected to conclude its four-year term with R$600 million in investments from both public and private sources. “We will finish our term with R$ 600 million in investments that will transform the history of São Francisco do Sul,” he stated, referring to the R$ 200 million already invested in port infrastructure over the past 30 months and the R$ 324 million allocated for the deepening of the access channel to Babitonga Bay, among other projects.

Vieira thanked Governor Mello for his consistent support and noted the significance of his visits: “This is his third visit in two and a half years. Before that, it had been a decade since a governor last stepped on our dock.” He pointed out that São Francisco is now one of Brazil’s ten largest ports by cargo volume and the leading port in Santa Catarina. “We also manage activities in Babitonga Bay, which accounts for 60% of the state’s cargo movement,” he added.

According to Vieira, the northern Santa Catarina port is a model of public management and one of the few public ports certified to ISO 9001 and 14001 standards, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to quality and the environment. “We are the fastest-growing public port in Brazil over the last two years, with a 35% increase in cargo throughput,” he emphasized.

Among the officials present at the event were Deputy Secretary of Ports, Airports, and Railways Ivan Amaral and the mayors of São Francisco do Sul, Godofredo Gomes, and Itapoá, Jefinho Garcia. The ceremony featured a performance by Banda Guarani, a local music school and cultural heritage of São Francisco do Sul.

Brief History of the Port:
While the current Port of São Francisco was officially inaugurated in 1955, the area along Babitonga Bay had been used for trade for centuries — first by Indigenous peoples and later by European settlers.

In the early 1900s, the Santista and Hoepcke wharves were built to export timber and yerba mate and import wheat from Argentina.

The port’s organized status began in 1941, when the federal government granted the state of Santa Catarina the concession to build and operate a port in São Francisco do Sul.

Construction began in 1945 and was completed in 1955.

On July 1, 1955, the port was officially opened and has since become a symbol of economic development in northern Santa Catarina.

Over the decades, the port complex has undergone continuous modernization and is now recognized globally for its excellence in handling grain, fertilizer, and steel products.

Sharing is caring!