The Brazilian National Agency for Waterway Transportation (ANTAQ) has concluded the modelling of the framework for the Brazilian Government to carry out a bid for the concession of the Port of Santos, located on the coast of the State of São Paulo. The Port of Santos is Brazil’s largest port and, from a market perspective, it is expected to be the most attractive one for investors.
The tender documents for the project will be delivered to the Federal Court of Auditors, which will analyze them and may suggest changes. The call for bids will be published after their approval by the Court of Auditors.
The 35-year concession agreement may be extended for an additional five-year term. The total amount of investments is estimated at R$ 18.5 billion, providing R$ 6.3 billion in new investments, out of which R$ 2.1 billion is destined for port infrastructure improvement and R$ 4.2 billion for the construction of a submerged tunnel connecting the cities of Santos and Guarujá. The project is expected to generate around 60,000 jobs, directly and indirectly.
The Brazilian Government expects to release the final version of the tender documents by the end of this year. In spite of the Brazilian presidential elections scheduled for October, it is expected that, due to the relevance of the Port of Santos, the project will proceed as planned.
