Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports is introducing a new digital platform aimed at improving the boarding experience for cruise guests.

According to Minister Sílvio Costa Filho, the system will use facial recognition and is set to be introduced ahead of the 2026-27 season.

“What we noticed was the need to reduce overall boarding times, which can reach three or four hours due to the large number of people,” he explained.

The platform is being developed in partnership with Brazil’s federal data processing service, Serpro, and will integrate data from various regulatory agencies.

The goal is to elevate the port experience to match the quality of the cruise itself, Serpro’s Superintendent of Business, Brenno Sampaio, said.

“What we need is to ensure that all the necessary procedures for the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers are on par with the unique experience of a cruise, through digital journeys built with a focus on the citizen’s user experience,” he explained.

The new tool will be an expansion of the existing ‘Paperless Port’ program, a federal initiative created to reduce bureaucracy in port operations.

“Technology allows us to unite ease and security, offering benefits to the passenger, the industry and the government itself,” Sampaio added.

According to the Ministry of Ports and Airports, the program integrates forms and requirements from various authorities and has reduced the average time a cargo vessel spends in port from 20 to four days.

Serpro said that the new initiative for cruise vessels will integrate technologies already successful in airports, such as facial biometric boarding and QR code baggage tracking.

In addition to speeding up passenger flow, the platform will provide real-time information to enforcement agencies, strengthening operational security.

The 2025-26 cruise season in Brazil starts in late October with the arrival of the MSC Preziosa, which will be followed by four other MSC Cruises ships. Costa Cruises is also deploying two vessels in South America.