Brazil gov’t launches program to streamline port concessions, private terminals approvals

The Brazilian Government has officially launched the Navegue Simples program through Decree 12,078, published in the Official Gazette on the 26th. This initiative aims to expedite the approval process for terminals of private use (TUPs) and leases in public ports, reducing the timeframe to 12 months. As part of the new Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), the projected investments total R$5.4 billion.

The program, initially announced by the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, at the Antaq Summit in November 2023, was officially launched on the 18th in Brasília. Navegue Simples seeks to streamline, innovate, and simplify port concessions under the Ports Law.

“Previously, concession granting processes took three, four, or even five years, plagued by rework and bureaucracy. Navegue Simples was created to reduce this time to 12 months, making large projects viable for Brazil,” stated the minister during the program’s launch.

The decree orients the simplification and unification of laws, standards, regulations, concession models, and grant authorizations, as well as administrative procedures. This approach aims for more efficient contract management, reduced regulatory and administrative burdens, and enhanced transparency, predictability, legal certainty, and cost efficiency.

Existing contracts may also be reviewed under the scope of Navegue Simples. The Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) will oversee the planning and management of the program, with technical support from the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq).

MPor is authorized to sign partnership terms, technical cooperation agreements, and decentralized execution terms with federal, state, district, and municipal public bodies and entities, as well as private organizations, international bodies, autonomous social services, and civil society groups.

The Navegue Simples program will be permanent and structured in four-year cycles, starting from the decree’s publication date. MPor is also responsible for establishing an interinstitutional Technical Committee to implement the program and coordinate with other involved institutions.

At the program’s launch, MPor’s executive secretary, Mariana Pescatori, emphasized the importance of including representatives from the Federal Audit Court (TCU) and the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services on the committee.

Source: A Tribuna

Click here to access the original text: https://www.atribuna.com.br/noticias/portomar/programa-navegue-simples-tem-decreto-publicado-1.424515

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