Santos Port Authority (SPA) has announced substantial reductions in operational fees for cruise ships at Brazil’s primary cruise hub Port Santos/Sao Paulo City.
The initiative, effective since October, aligns with a new regulatory framework to boost tourism by incentivizing high passenger volumes.
The revised structure offers a sliding scale of discounts ranging from 10% to 60%, with the maximum reduction awarded to operators bringing 680,000+ passengers per season.
SPA also incorporated incentives for cruise shipping companies meeting standards on a local sustainability and efficiency index, an effort to promote environmentally responsible practices.
The updated port fee system will be trialed for 12 months, with a potential extension based on its performance as reviewed by SPA. Discounts are preliminarily based on projected passenger counts submitted by cruise lines, with final adjustments made at season’s end using SPA’s data tracking system. Cruise operators are required to submit passenger estimates and confirm schedules in advance to qualify for the reduced fees.
The 2024-2025 season will see a robust lineup at Santos, where MSC will homeport its ships MSC Grandiosa, MSC Seaview, and MSC Splendida, with MSC Armonia departing from Santos in February and March.
Costa will contribute to the activity with the ships Costa Diadema and Costa Pacifica.
Santos will also welcome transit calls from companies including Princess, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Crystal, and Villa Vie Residences, further solidifying its position in Brazil’s cruise industry.