The Brazilian port of Santos may be set to debut a new cruise port and tourism complex in the near future as part of the Santos Vivo project.

According to reports in local media, the new infrastructure development recently received initial approval from local authorities.

The project includes the construction of an artificial island that would be linked to the town’s Ponta da Praia neighborhood by a new pier.

In addition to a marina and a shopping district with a mall, the new area will include a water park, an upscale hotel, apartment buildings, parking lots and restaurants, as well as a three-berth cruise terminal.

Designed to welcome some of the world’s largest vessels, the new facility would be able to accommodate over 250 calls per year, able to host three ships simultaneously.

In order to promote sustainability, the new pier was also designed to protect coastal areas from sea swells.

Created under local laws as a Tourism Port Installation, the tourism complex would be built by private companies, led by Transbrasa.

According to the project’s website, the company currently operates cargo facilities at the Port of Santos.

The Santos Vivo project would see an initial investment of over 1.2 billion reais (over $220 million) and is expected to create over 5,000 new jobs.

Other highlights include a rock (climbing) wall and a water sports center, as well as a transport center that would be linked with a nearby airport.

Following the approval by Brazil’s Ports and Airports Ministry, the development is now expected to seek further licenses from other government bodies.

While a timeline for the construction hasn’t been set, initial plans called for the new facilities to open in mid-2027.

As the largest cruise homeport in Brazil and South America, Santos currently hosts ships at the Concais Cruise Terminal.

Located within the town’s commercial port, the privately operated facility welcomed over one million guests during the 2024-25 winter season.