Bidding heats up for Santos-Guarujá tunnel as Brazil prepares to auction R$6.8bn project

Less than a month before the auction for the Santos-Guarujá immersed tunnel, national and international business groups are confirming their participation in the bidding for the country’s largest infrastructure project. The information comes from Rafael Benini, the state secretary for Partnerships and Investments. The auction will be held on September 5 at 4 p.m. at the São Paulo Stock Exchange (B3).

In an interview with A Tribuna, the secretary did not reveal which companies are involved or how many, but stated that they have the necessary expertise for this type of project.

“These are large national and international groups that are interested in the tunnel. Within these groups, there are certified companies that truly know how to build the tunnel, and they will bring this technology to Brazil, which is one of the requirements in the bidding notice.”

Benini also stated that some specialized companies are part of consortia, while others are subcontracted, as specified in the notice. “These international companies were already interested in investing in the tunnel. They have been participating in the entire process; they took part in the public hearing, in the clarification stage of the notice, and requested some changes to the project,” he said.

The technical adjustments to the project were confirmed by Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos) on June 13 in Santos, during a civic ceremony celebrating the 262nd anniversary of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, the patriarch of Brazilian independence.

The changes increased the project cost from R$5.96 billion to R$6.8 billion. The deadline for bidders to submit envelopes is set for September 1 at 10 a.m. at B3, and the proposals will be opened on September 5. Originally, the auction was scheduled for August 1, but it was rescheduled.

The international bidding will be through a sponsored concession under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The winner will be the bidder offering the highest discount on the maximum annual public compensation value, set at R$438.4 million (base date: March 2025).

The contract will last 30 years, and the future concessionaire will be responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the asset, earning a tariff revenue of R$2.34 billion starting in the sixth year of the concession. Of the total cost of R$6.8 billion, R$5.14 billion will be covered by public funds, and R$1.78 billion is projected for operational expenses.

Bidding notice modified to attract more companies

According to the State Government, the draft of the bidding notice has been updated to make the concession more attractive to the private sector, offering guarantees of predictability, economic and financial balance, and legal security. The improvements to the notice stem directly from contributions gathered during the international roadshow held in Europe and Asia, which brought together global infrastructure operators.

“The roadshows held in Europe and Asia helped us clear up some doubts; they were very important for bringing in companies interested in the tunnel,” said Rafael Benini, the state secretary for Partnerships and Investments. Governor Tarcísio de Freitas and Minister of Ports and Airports Silvio Costa Filho participated in these international missions.

Among the adjustments are the update of the contractual base date to January 2025, the revision of key costs — such as concrete, dredging, and diaphragm walls — and a reassessment of the average transport distance, now estimated at 85 km. Traffic projections were also updated.

Additionally, a specific expropriation account was established, risk allocation criteria — particularly for geological and interference-related risks — were adjusted, and temporary solutions were proposed for the Outeirinhos quay and the railway yard in Guarujá to ensure the continued operation of the port and logistics infrastructure during construction.

The tunnel will be 1.5 kilometers long, with 870 meters submerged, and will include three lanes in each direction: two for cars, buses, and trucks, and one exclusively for Light Rail Vehicles (VLT), as well as a gallery for pedestrians and cyclists.

Source: A Tribuna

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