Itajaí Port has taken another important step toward maintaining its waterway infrastructure with the arrival of the dredger Utrecht, operated by Dutch company Van Oord. The vessel berthed in the Itajaí-Açu River channel last Thursday (28th) and is now part of the dredging operations underway at the port complex.
According to Itajaí Port Authority, the Utrecht will be used to suction solid sediments, a complementary phase to services already performed in the access channel, turning basins, and berthing areas. The vessel's arrival follows the recovery of the operational depth deemed adequate to ensure navigation safety and port maneuvering.
The most recent bathymetric data, prepared by Hidrotopo, confirmed the recovery of the operational conditions necessary for the continuity of port activities. With this, the port authority has moved forward to a new phase of the depth maintenance program for the complex.
Regarded as the largest dredger currently operating in the region, the Utrecht significantly expands dredging service capacity. The equipment will be instrumental in accelerating the removal of accumulated sediments and contributing to the preservation of adequate navigability conditions in the Itajaí-Açu River.
Port administration emphasized that even during the technical monitoring period, operations proceeded safely and without interruption. The largest vessel operated at the port during this interval used a draft of 12.80 meters, within the parameters monitored by technical teams, pilotage, and maritime authority.
Work remains concentrated on the access channel, turning basins, and berthing areas. In this phase, dispersal of fluid mud is also being completed, a common feature in port and estuarine environments with intense sedimentary dynamics, as occurs in the Itajaí-Açu River.
With the Utrecht's entry into operation, Itajaí Port reinforces its commitment to port infrastructure maintenance, ensuring adequate conditions for the safe movement of cargo and passenger vessels and strengthening its competitiveness in the national logistics landscape.
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