syncportOn 28 September 2026 the Port of Itajaí published new minimum observed depths (MPO) for the Itajaí-Açu access channel and for the berths at Itajaí and Portonave. The depth notice applies until 10 December 2026. The next day, the port's environmental monitoring report, which covers the next 48 hours, recommended that current, tide and river level be monitored before each manoeuvre window. If you buy wood, furniture, frozen protein or other containerised cargo FOB or FCA through Itajaí or Navegantes, the two documents work on different horizons, and together they can affect berth allocation, calls and cut-offs.
What the depth notice sets
The notice gives the shallowest depth surveyed in each area. It applies to ships up to 350 m length overall (LOA) and 52 m beam, under Annex 5-B of the harbour-master rules for Santa Catarina (NPCP-SC).
| Area | Minimum observed depth |
|---|---|
| External access channel | 13.4 m |
| Internal access channel | 13.1 m |
| Turning basin 1 (between the Itajaí and Portonave berths) | 12.8 m |
| Itajaí berths 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 | 12.6 / 12.8 / 12.9 / 12.2 m |
| Portonave berths 1 / 2 | 12.7 / 12.9 m |
| Portonave berth 3 (area available for berthing only) | 12.6 m |
Two things stand out. First, the berths are shallower than the channel. Itajaí berth 4, at 12.2 m, is 1.2 m shallower than the external channel. Second, depth varies from berth to berth. The four Itajaí berths span 0.7 m, and turning basin 1, between the two terminals, is 12.8 m. That is shallower than the best berth at either terminal (12.9 m). At Portonave berth 3, the notice gives 12.6 m only for the area available for berthing, not for the whole berth.
So for a buyer, it is not enough to know that the ship calls at Itajaí/Navegantes. Ask which berth it is assigned to and what draft the carrier plans for it. If it is Portonave berth 3, ask whether your ship fits the area available for berthing. The notice does not say whether a shallower berth means a ship must load fewer containers at this port. That is a question for the carrier.
What the notice does not say: the MPO is an observed depth, not a maximum permitted draft. The notice gives no draft limit, and we have not verified one for this period. It also does not compare these depths with earlier ones. Ask your carrier which draft limit it is planning to for your vessel.
What the 29 September report adds
The port's environmental monitoring report for the Itajaí access channel, dated 29 September 2026, looks 48 hours ahead and describes a risk scenario:
- about 60 mm of accumulated rain forecast for Itajaí (up to 70 mm for Blumenau), with a possibility of storms;
- coastal wind gusts of 40 to 60 km/h;
- a very rough sea, with waves of 1.5 to 2 m and peaks of 2.5 m on the northern Santa Catarina coast;
- high levels in the tributaries of the Itajaí-Açu river.
For shipping, the key part is the operational guidance. The report recommends continuous monitoring of current, tide and river level before each manoeuvre window. On the current it is firmer: the current must be measured in real time before any manoeuvre. It also says to check flood and ebb tide in each manoeuvre window, and that navigability remains conditioned on local real-time measurements. In practice, treat any berthing time given days ahead as provisional.
The report's text gives no river-level figure, so we do not quote one. The report does not address manoeuvre restrictions, and we have not checked the port's other notices on manoeuvres for this period. Ask your carrier whether any turning restriction applies to your vessel.
What this means for your next booking
Ask whether the call is protected. The port's report ties manoeuvres to real-time current and tide checks. If a manoeuvre window is lost, the carrier decides how to recover the schedule. We have no information on how any carrier would do that this week, and we have not seen any announced omission. Ask your carrier or forwarder in writing whether your vessel's Itajaí/Navegantes call is firm, and what your booking says happens if the call is dropped: who trucks the containers, to which terminal, and who pays. If you are booking now, see how we handle FCL export from Itajaí/Navegantes.
Check the cut-off against a moving berthing window. The report only looks 48 hours ahead, so the berthing window can shift within the same week. Ask for the cut-off to be reconfirmed as the vessel approaches, not only at booking. For frozen protein, ask how long the reefer can stay plugged in at the terminal if the vessel is delayed, and at what daily charge. For wood and furniture, check that the exporter's delivery date still works if the vessel berths earlier than planned.
Agree now who pays for a roll or diversion. Ask your exporter and your carrier, in writing, who pays for storage, reefer power, trucking and amended documents if the call is missed or moved, and check what your sales contract says. Settle it before the cargo gates in, not after a call has been dropped. For lumber, our lumber freight page lists what to send for a quote.
The depth figures apply until 10 December 2026. The monitoring report looks only 48 hours ahead, so read each new report as it is published.
Frequently asked questions
Does a 12.2 m berth mean my ship cannot call?
Not necessarily. 12.2 m is the shallowest observed depth at Itajaí berth 4. The notice does not state a draft limit, and we have not verified one. Ask the carrier which berth is planned for your vessel and what draft it plans to use.
How long do these depths apply?
The notice says the MPO is valid until 10 December 2026. We do not know whether it will be revised earlier.
Should I move my booking to another port?
Only if your carrier cannot confirm the Itajaí/Navegantes call, or cannot tell you how a diversion would be handled. Moving has its own costs, such as trucking and new cut-offs, so compare the specific options offered for your vessel.
