Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
0 comments 
Fixed link over Guaratuba Bay redefines mobility on Paraná’s coast with free crossing, cable-stayed structure, and direct impact on regional tourism and logistics, replacing historic ferries with continuous flow between Guaratuba and Matinhos on a faster and more integrated route.
The Guaratuba Bridge, on Paraná’s coast, was inaugurated in May 2026 to connect Guaratuba and Matinhos with a structure of 1,244 meters over Guaratuba Bay, reducing reliance on the ferry-boat and creating a new toll-free road route.
With an estimated state investment of R$ 400 million, the crossing features four traffic lanes, safety lanes, pedestrian space, and a bike path.
The project is considered one of the largest maritime bridges in the country and is set to reorganize mobility on Paraná’s coast.
-
15 cargo planes per month will depart from China directly to Ceará loaded with equipment, and the most brilliant stroke of this plan is what the Ceará government wants to put inside these planes on the return trip so as not to waste any flight.
-
A R$400 million bridge that reduces a 30-minute crossing to just 1 minute was inaugurated between SC and Paraná, ending decades of ferry boat queues.
-
Paraguay wants to transform Itaipu water into a $665 million green fertilizer, create a factory without natural gas, and reduce Latin America’s food dependence on a threatened route in the Strait of Hormuz.
-
Houses in China use water-bonding bricks that can reduce the use of traditional mortar, promising faster, cleaner, and more economical construction, but they require correct design, certified material, and technical installation to ensure safety.
The construction replaces a crossing historically made by ferries, a service that for decades was the main means of passage between the two sides of the bay.
The new link is expected to shorten travel times, facilitate regional outflow, and improve access for residents, tourists, and service providers.
Guaratuba Bridge changes access to Paraná’s coast
The structure has a cable-stayed section and a central span of 320 meters without pillars, a solution adopted to preserve navigation in Guaratuba Bay.
Steel cables support this section, allowing vessels to pass without direct interference from supports in the main channel.
In addition to the bridge, the project includes road accesses at both ends, bringing the total intervention to just over three kilometers.
The link integrates the coastal road network and alters the flow between cities that depended on waiting, boarding, and disembarking in the ferry-boat system.
The execution was carried out by the Nova Ponte Consortium, winner of the tender concluded in 2022.
The works progressed at an accelerated pace and met at the construction fronts in early March 2026, a stage popularly known as the “bridge’s kiss”.
Environmental impasse and judicial agreement
The undertaking faced environmental questions before reaching its final phase.
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office pointed out the need for an assessment related to the Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park, a federal conservation unit near the bridge’s area of influence.
The discussion involved the Government of Paraná, the Water and Land Institute, ICMBio, and the MPF.
In October 2025, the Federal Court approved an agreement that recognized the validity of the licensing and defined conditions for the continuation of the work.
Among the foreseen obligations are mitigation measures, environmental monitoring, and actions aimed at local fauna.
The monitoring includes species such as the Guiana dolphin, La Plata dolphin, green sea turtle, coastal birds, and migratory birds recorded in the bay region.
Analyses of impacts on fishing resources and oyster production in Cabaraquara Bay were also foreseen.
The agreement also addresses measures aimed at traditional communities and workers affected by the change in the crossing model.
Tourism and economy on Paraná’s coast
The bridge arrives in an area of strong tourist circulation.
Guaratuba, founded in the 18th century, brings together beaches, artisanal fishing, and historic buildings, such as the Church of Nossa Senhora do Bom Sucesso, listed as national historical heritage.
On the other side, Matinhos concentrates well-known beaches of the Paraná coast, such as Praia Mansa and Praia Brava, in addition to leisure and nature areas.
With the new connection, travel between the municipalities no longer depends on ferry operations and will now occur via a continuous road.
The state government expects the bridge to strengthen tourism, reduce mobility bottlenecks, and facilitate regional transport.
The absence of tolls was also presented as a differential for residents and visitors circulating along the coast.
Ranking of the largest bridges in Brazil
At 1,244 meters, the Guaratuba Bridge now ranks among Brazil’s largest maritime crossings.
The Rio-Niterói Bridge, at 13.29 kilometers, remains the largest connection of its kind in the country, while the Terceira Ponte, in Espírito Santo, is 3.33 kilometers long.
Brazil also has large bridges over rivers, lagoons, and lagoon areas.
Among them are the Anita Garibaldi Bridge, in Santa Catarina, and the Newton Navarro Bridge, in Rio Grande do Norte, both important for regional mobility.
In Paraná, another strategic work is the Brazil-Paraguay Integration Bridge, in Foz do Iguaçu, built to expand the logistical connection with the neighboring country.
In Bahia, the Salvador-Itaparica Bridge is progressing as one of the largest infrastructure projects in preparation in the country, with a planned 12.4-kilometer connection over the Bay of All Saints.
The Guaratuba Bridge joins this set of works that seek to reduce historical transport bottlenecks.
On the Paraná coast, the main change is immediate: the crossing no longer depends on ferries and now has a fixed, free connection integrated into the region’s road circulation.
Be the first to react!