Above: 3D render of Floating transshipment dock for Amazonas
The regional drought impacting inland waterway operations in the Amazonas region of Brazil is forcing dry bulk terminal operators to think outside the box. To combat lower water levels, Super Terminais has received permission from the National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ) to operate a floating dock at Itacoatiara, in Amazonas City, which is some 175km from the regional capital Manaus.
The new fdock, which is a designated Private Use Facility, will require no nearby storage warehouses and will uniquely handle dry bulk commodities, mainly soybean and corn.
The purely transshipment operation will take place at what is a 240-metre long quay, which is 18 metres wide, giving it an overall operating area of 4,320m2. It will accommodate up to Panamax size deep sea vessels when it begins operations in January of next year.
Such an operation is made possible by the fact that the dock will be located at one of the deepest parts of the Amazon river, in an area that was temporarily used in 2024 to transship containers as a stop gap measures to overcome low water levels prevalent at the time.
The dock is positioned some 100 metres from the river bank and offers alongside draught of 34 metres.
From Itacoatiara, the 200km distance to Manaus will take an estimated 18 hours. Operations at the dock will run around-the-clock, with three shifts rostered. Unloading equipment be used to transfer consignments from deepsea vessels to barges, which will then use the river to reach Manaus. Operations will definitely be provided between September and December, coinciding with summer in the southern hemisphere, although can continue beyond that period as required.
It should be noted that drought has become a highly disturbing feature in the region in recent times. In 2023, for example, Amazonas state experienced its worst ever drought, and predictions are for lower water levels on the Amazon river to continue into the foreseeable future. Manaus has a strong industrial base, but without sea access would not be able to function effectively.