South America is set to get its first-ever underwater tunnel which is predicted to cost nearly £800 million and create some 9,000 jobs. 

The Santos-Guarujá Port Tunnel project will connect Brazil’s busiest port, the Port of Santos, and the bustling holiday desitnation of Guarujá.

At present the two places, which lie on the mouth of an estuary, can only connect with one another by ferry or with a 27-mile journey by road.

The Port of Santos is the largest in Latin America and handles more than 173 million tonnes of cargo each year, much of which is transported to the mega city of São Paulo, population 11 million, 50 miles inland. 

Guarujá serves as a seaside weekend break destination for millions of people from São Paulo and is also where some of the thousands of works from the Port of Santos live. 

But despite the city and port being right next to one another across the water, no bridge or link has ever existed, until now these amibitious plans have been announced. 

More than 9,000 construction jobs are expected to be created building the new tunnel which will be roughly 1,800 metres long with two lanes for road traffic and a separate tube for pedestrians and cyclists.

Work is expected to begin on the infrastructure project later this year with a completition date set for some time in 2029. 

According to Datarmar News, over 21,000 vehicles currently cross between the the port of the city daily using small boats (known as catraias) and ferries. Additionally, around 7,700 cyclists and 7,600 pedestrians make the crossing daily.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said: “This tunnel is essential, and it’s too costly for either São Paulo or the federal government to handle alone.

“São Paulo already had the project and environmental licenses approved. We couldn’t have the federal government go-ahead while São Paulo was sidelined.”

Regional governor Tarcísio said the tunnel was “addressing a long-standing request, not only from the residents of Santos but from everyone who visits our coastline.”