Porto Itapoá is advancing its expansion and modernisation plans with the arrival of new large-scale cargo handling equipment.
The terminal will receive its eighth ship-to-shore crane, placing it among a small group of three Brazilian port terminals operating the country’s largest fleets of this type of crane.
“Expanding our ship-to-shore crane fleet is essential to ensure even greater productivity, always with a strong focus on operational safety,” explained Porto Itapoá chief executive, Ricardo Arten. “We are preparing Porto Itapoá to handle increasingly larger vessels and more complex flows, without compromising the protection of those who make it all happen.”
The new crane builds on productivity gains already achieved through recent investments. Porto Itapoá’s seventh ship-to-shore crane, which began operating in 2024 after being acquired the previous year, delivered a 15% increase in vessel operation productivity in its first month of service.
Technological upgrades are a central feature of the new equipment. The crane includes an automatic container identification system designed to accelerate operations, reduce errors and improve safety. It also features a 70-metre boom, extending five metres beyond earlier models, which allows greater reach and efficiency when handling large container vessels.
The terminal will also add six new rubber-tyred gantry cranes for yard operations. These RTGs will follow Porto Itapoá’s remote-control operating model, which made the terminal the first in South America to adopt the technology.
“These investments are part of Phase IV of the terminal’s expansion,” said Arten. “We are evolving to an even higher level of technology, automation and efficiency.”
Phase IV began in 2024 and includes planned investments of BRL 500 million (€80 million) over 12 months, reinforcing Porto Itapoá’s ambition to lead port efficiency and safety in South America.
