Portuguese 
The giant ship Bosporus Highway docked at the Port of Itajaí with 599 high-end cars, helping the terminal achieve 17,056 vehicles handled by the Ro-Ro system in 2026, an operation where cars enter and exit through dedicated ramps, eliminating the need for cranes during local port loading and unloading.
A nearly 200-meter long giant ship docked at the Port of Itajaí in Santa Catarina, carrying 599 high-end automobiles for import. The Bosporus Highway arrived at berth 4 at 5:30 PM on August 19, 2026, and unloaded using the Ro-Ro system, allowing vehicles to leave the vessel via ramps.
The operation was reported by NSC Total on August 20, 2026, with information from the Superintendence of the Port of Itajaí. With this new call, the Santa Catarina terminal achieved 17,056 vehicles handled by the roll-on/roll-off system in 2026, continuing a series of auto operations registered throughout the year.
Giant Ship Bosporus Highway Delivered 599 Vehicles to the Port of Itajaí
The star of the new operation was the Bosporus Highway, a vessel specialized in vehicle transportation. According to reports, the ship measures nearly 200 meters in length, over 32 meters in width, was built in 2009, and sails under the flag of Panama.
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The giant ship arrived in Itajaí with approximately 599 luxury automobiles intended for import. This figure represents only this specific call and should not be confused with the over 17,000 vehicles accumulated by the port throughout 2026.
Operation Took Place at Berth 4 at 5:30 PM on August 19
The docking occurred at berth 4 of the Port of Itajaí at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, August 19. This schedule was part of the Ro-Ro cargo operations conducted by the Santa Catarina terminal.
This system is especially associated with the transportation of wheeled cargo. Cars, trucks, buses, and machinery can enter or exit the vessel using dedicated ramps, reducing reliance on individual lifting by external equipment during this phase of the operation.
Ro-Ro System Eliminates the Need for Cranes to Unload Cars
The term roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) describes the method used to move loads that can roll on and off the ship. In the case of the 599 automobiles unloaded in Itajaí, the vehicles left the vessel via dedicated ramps.
This differentiates the operation from those requiring lifting. The giant ship operates as a multi-level maritime garage designed to accommodate vehicles that are moved directly between the terminal and the interior of the vessel.
Port of Itajaí reached 17,056 vehicles moved in 2026
With the unloading conducted by Bosporus Highway, the Port Authority announced that the Port of Itajaí has achieved a total of 17,056 vehicles moved through the Ro-Ro system in 2026.
This figure reflects the cumulative operations conducted throughout the year and does not pertain exclusively to the cargo unloaded on August 19. The 599 automobiles from the new scheduled arrival were just another part of a growing movement at the Santa Catarina terminal.
Sequence of operations highlights vehicles at the terminal
The news outlet NSC Total reports that the Port of Itajaí has been accumulating large operations involving vehicles throughout 2026. The arrival of the Bosporus Highway continued this trend.
For port management, the flow reinforces the structure’s capacity to handle different types of cargo. The movement of automobiles has become a significant aspect of the port’s activities throughout the year, particularly through Ro-Ro operations.
Nearly 200 meters in length demand infrastructure to accommodate large vessels
At nearly 200 meters long and over 32 meters wide, the Bosporus Highway is far from the dimensions of a conventional small vessel. Its purpose is to transport vehicles on a large scale between different ports.
The arrival of a ship of such size requires compatibility between the vessel, berth, and port operation. The source does not specify the draft, total capacity for cars, or tonnage of the Bosporus Highway, so these details should not be estimated solely based on its dimensions.
Authority sees continuity of Ro-Ro operations
The superintendent of the Port of Itajaí, Artur Antunes Pereira, stated that the new operation reinforces the terminal’s capacity to handle different types of cargo and demonstrates the continuity of Ro-Ro movements in 2026.
The administration also associates the unloading of high-value vehicles with the confidence of operators in the port infrastructure. The institutional assessment is that successive operations help consolidate Itajaí as an alternative for this segment of vehicle logistics.
Cars, trucks, buses, and machinery can use the same concept
Although the August scale was marked by 599 automobiles, the roll-on/roll-off system is not limited to passenger cars. This method is also used for trucks, buses, and certain vehicles that can be moved on wheels.
The common characteristic is the method of boarding or unloading. Instead of hoisting each unit with a crane, the cargo uses its own mobility or support equipment to traverse the ramps connecting the ship to the terminal.
Direct movement helps explain the use of roll-on/roll-off in the automotive sector
In vehicle operations, the ability to move many units sequentially creates a specific operational logic. Each automobile follows the defined flow between the internal spaces of the vessel and the port area.
The Bosporus Highway was designed precisely for this type of transport. The structure of the giant ship allows for the organization of the entry and exit of vehicles in large quantities without turning each automobile into a load that needs to be hoisted individually.
Itajaí increases participation in the flow of high-end vehicles
The automobiles unloaded in this operation were described by the source as high-end vehicles intended for import. The report does not detail brands, models, or individual financial value of the cargo.
Still, the scale added hundreds of units to the terminal’s annual statistics. For the Port of Itajaí, the most relevant data is the continuity of the flow: 17,056 vehicles had already passed through the roll-on/roll-off system in 2026 after the new operation.
Giant ship transforms hundreds of cars into a single port operation
The scale of the Bosporus Highway brings together three dimensions of maritime logistics: a vessel of nearly 200 meters, hundreds of vehicles transported simultaneously, and port infrastructure prepared to remove the automobiles via ramps.
The unloading of 599 cars alone does not represent the historic mark of the year, but it helped the Port of Itajaí reach 17,056 vehicles moved by roll-on/roll-off in 2026. Among the size of the giant ship, the crane-free system, and the volume of automobiles already moved by the terminal, which aspect of this operation stands out to you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments.
