The space being offered, which encompasses 194,000 square metres, is currently operated by Vopack (39,200 metres), Tequimar, Intertek, Temares (40,400 square metres), Cutrale, Terminal Marítimo do Valongo, Integral, Hipercon and Cargill Agrícola. At present, the port authority also has concession processes underway for a vehicle export terminal.

Santos Port authority has already issued a tender in respect of a terminal capable of handling both imported chemicals and export ethanol.The area in question, which is 22,000 square metres in extent, is adjacent to Anchieta-Imigrantes and alongside the Alemoa pier on the right-hand bank.

Once operational, the terminal should be able to handle around 900,000  tonnes annually, split equally between the two product areas. Investment is estimated at €16m ($21.6m) of which €9.4m ($12.7m) will be for storage tanks.

According to the Latin Business Chronicle,Brazil’s Santos Port is now the largest container handling facility in Latin America, followed by Colón in Panama and Buenos Aires in Argentina, with Manzanillo in Mexico in fourth place and Balboa in Panama in fifth.

Last year, Santos increased its capacity by 25.9% to 2.9m teu. Chile's Valparaiso saw the biggest rise in container traffic, which rose 62.7% last year.