The Santos Port Authority in Brazil, which oversees the largest port in the Southern Hemisphere, plans to deepen the port in order to accommodate larger ships in the future. The director of port operations, Beto Mendes, announced at a meeting with the Santos Trade Association that they intend to deepen the draft to 16 meters, eventually reaching 17 meters, possibly by 2031.

Enhancing the port's capacity to accommodate bigger vessels is essential for strengthening trade relations with countries like China, especially amid the ongoing trade conflict with the United States. Mendes emphasized the importance of being ready for increased shipping demands at Santos due to changes in trade policies initiated by President Donald Trump.

Santos Port handled a record 179.8 million tons of goods last year, with projections of reaching around 188 million tons by 2025. However, these estimates do not include potential impacts from the global trade war uncertainty. Mendes highlighted that about 60% of the goods passing through Santos are agricultural products like soybeans, corn, cotton, and pulp.

He revealed that the port operates similarly to European ports by hosting various cargo types and emphasized that Santos comprises 58 terminals boasting 16 kilometers of docking piers with 62 berths, all managed by private entities.