Dense Fog Forces Second-Day Navigation Halt at Porto de Santos

Overview

• Authorities suspended navigation at the Porto de Santos early on Thursday, July 2, after the Capitania reported visibility below the 500‑meter safety threshold and ordered a stoppage at 03:50.
• The Autoridade Portuária de Santos and the Capitania have issued intermittent channel closures when visibility fell under 500 meters, and APS recorded repeated interruptions during the prior morning’s operations.
• Litoral ferry crossings between Santos and Guarujá were interrupted on July 2, forcing some commuters to use smaller private boats called catraias while official ferry operators were temporarily offline.
• Meteorologists say the event was a classic nevoeiro caused by high humidity and rapid night cooling that turns vapor into suspended droplets, and they note the technical difference from neblina is that nevoeiro reduces visibility to about 1 km or less.
• Because Porto de Santos is Brazil’s biggest port, repeated suspensions could slow cargo movements and affect supply chains, and forecasters at Inmet say a notable temperature drop by Friday, July 3, may change conditions and is being closely monitored.