Santos port authority maintains five transition contracts with terminal operators

The Santos Port Authority (APS) currently has five transition contracts with terminal operators, representing 13.5% of the 37 active leases along the port’s quay. These temporary agreements ensure continuity of operations and allow companies to remain in areas where concessions have expired until new long-term auctions are held.

In a statement, APS said the contracts run for one year and are set to expire in 2026. The temporary arrangements were signed with Grupo Cesari (valid until January 27), Ecoporto (May 31), and Termares (June 13), both part of Grupo EcoRodovias, Petrobras (June 28), and Transbrasa (August 24).

The port authority explained that transition contracts are signed in two cases: when vacant terminals are offered to the market or when existing operators are provisionally renewed until new auctions take place. APS stressed that no private company may handle cargo within the port’s boundaries without a contract.

Each agreement has its own terms, with requirements limited to ensuring the minimum volume of cargo handling. “An idle terminal benefits neither APS nor the country. That’s why transition contracts are so necessary — they prevent downtime while awaiting long-term leases. Santos is an example, as it has no inoperative areas,” said APS president Anderson Pomini.

The authority also maintains 11 “passage contracts,” under which terminals located outside the port’s boundaries use pipelines or conveyor belts to access the quay.

New rules
Transition contracts can only be signed with authorization from the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq). In May, Resolution 127/2025 updated the rules, extending the maximum duration from six months to one year. The regulation also requires port authorities to justify public interest when signing such contracts and to submit documentation to Antaq within 30 days.

Source: A Tribuna

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