The Brazilian port of Santos is planning to introduce a new and more modern cruise terminal ahead of the 2029-30 season in South America.

According to the President of the Santos Port Authority (SPA), Anderson Pomini, the project aims to improve the homeport’s infrastructure and is back on track after facing uncertainty.

Santos is said to be the largest homeport for cruise ships in South America, welcoming over 60 percent of the passengers sailing in Brazil.

A green light from regulatory bodies is expected to arrive soon, Pomini added, noting that the new cruise terminal will be built in a better-suited part of the port.

“We are planning a new ‘Miami-standard’ cruise terminal for three to four years from now,” he continued, adding that the project was developed in partnership with the operator of the current terminal, Concais, as well as local authorities and the port community.

The initiative is part of a larger effort aimed at creating a new tourism district in Santos’ old town, he noted at an industry conference in Brasília earlier this month.

For the cruise terminal, the plan includes a transportation area, he said, with a multi-story parking garage that will serve as a hub for guests.

With three dedicated berths and boarding bridges, the new cruise terminal will be able to welcome the world’s largest cruise ships, Concais noted.

To optimize guest flow, embarking and disembarking operations will take place in specific  areas.

The cruise terminal will also feature a food hall, as well as parking spots for 30 buses and over 1,300 cars.

According to Pomini, the new infrastructure will be built by the private sector, as a counterpart to contracts with APS. Concais is also investing in the project in exchange for a ten-year contract extension.

The port operator is set to take over the new terminal in place of the current facility, which is expected to close. Concais’ contract with APS was first signed in the 1990s and was last renewed in 2018.