Brazil plans to build an immersed tunnel beneath the channel separating Santos and Guarujá, two cities linked to the Port of Santos. The port moved 5.48 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024, making it the largest container port in Latin America according to the information provided.
At present, travellers can use a ferry, which takes around 18 minutes under normal conditions, or drive nearly 40 kilometres around the channel. The road journey takes about an hour. Ferry queues can last for hours because more than 21,000 vehicles use the crossing each day, according to Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports.
The proposed tunnel will be 1.5 kilometres long, including an 870-metre section beneath the port access channel. It will have three traffic lanes in each direction, a dedicated path for pedestrians and cyclists, and a service gallery. On the Guarujá side, a two-kilometre approach road will connect the tunnel with the BR-101 Rio–Santos highway.
Authorities expect the project to reduce the journey between the two municipalities to a maximum of five minutes. It will be Brazil’s first immersed tunnel, and the concession will cover its construction, operation and maintenance for 30 years.
The work was awarded to Portuguese group Mota-Engil, which won the tender against Spain’s Acciona in September of the previous year. The project is being developed as a public-private partnership, with an initial investment of 6.8 billion Brazilian reais, equivalent to around 1.15 billion euros based on the supplied figures. The official project website estimates that it will create 9,000 jobs.
The underwater route was chosen partly because ships arriving at Santos are becoming taller. A bridge could interfere with maritime traffic, while a lifting structure could also affect operations. According to governor Geraldo Alckmin, a bridge would have needed to reach 80 metres in height and could have had consequences for the Guarujá airport project.
The construction method involves manufacturing concrete sections in a dry dock, towing them while they remain afloat and placing them in a dredged trench on the channel bed. The tunnel is planned to sit around 21 metres below the surface, allowing ships to continue using the waterway.
The official schedule allocates 2026 to design work and permits. Construction is due to begin in 2027 with the dry dock and dredging operations, followed by production of the tunnel sections in 2028. Their installation is expected to begin the following year, with assembly continuing until 2030. Under the most favourable forecast, the tunnel could open in 2031.
Sources: Xataka.