Paraná state port authority approves draft increase for container ships

On October 25th, the state-owned port authority Portos do Paraná approved the increase in draft for container ships calling at the Port of Paranaguá. The document was signed by the acting CEO, Luiz Teixeira da Silva Junior, approving the expansion of the main draft as well as the secondary channel.

The draft is the depth from the lowest point of a vessel’s keel to the waterline. With the newly approved order of service, the authorized draft at the main channel goes from 11 to 12.30 meters, and at the secondary channel (Surdinho), it goes from 11.50 to 12.30 meters.

According to TCP, the company that manages the Paranagua Container Terminal, the new dimensions will provide safer operating conditions for vessels entering and exiting the terminal, resulting in direct operational gains. According to Allan Chiang, the company’s institutional manager, the increased depth allows for greater handling of containers per ship, as well as more calls and more room for cargo loads on vessels.

“With the increased draft, all restrictions on ship berthing and unberthing were removed, increasing our maneuver windows, which are now operating at full speed. As a result, we will be able to receive larger ships with lengths ranging from 345 to 368 meters,” he explains.

Berth draft expansion 

This is not the first time TCP has welcomed a draft increase. Another increase was announced in June, following the completion of the dredging of the terminal berths and the approval of the bathymetry, which reached 13 meters for the berths where the ships dock.

The terminal is currently awaiting the completion of the process of removing stones and submerged rocks), which is being carried out by the Port Authority and is in its final stage. The access channel to the Port of Paranaguá is expected to reach a draft of 13.5 meters by the end of this work.

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