APS hosts the first meeting between municipalities and the construction company for the Santos–Guarujá tunnel

The Santos Port Authority (APS) hosted on Thursday, October 9, the mayors of Santos and Guarujá, Rogério Santos and Farid Madi, federal deputy Paulo Alexandre Barbosa — coordinator of the External Commission monitoring the Santos–Guarujá Tunnel works in the Chamber of Deputies — and representatives of Mota-Engil. This company won the bid to build the tunnel.

According to APS president Anderson Pomini, the meeting aimed to introduce all parties involved. “We’ll be working together for the next 30 years,” Pomini joked, referring to the length of the project’s concession period.

“APS is committed to both the local population and port users, who will be affected by the project. The more information we share, the greater the public’s support will be,” Pomini emphasized. He added that planning will be essential to minimize disruptions to port operations: “We need to understand the project’s requirements to assess its impact on navigation, as well as on road and rail traffic — always in dialogue with the community and our clients,” he assured.

Check the two charts below on long-haul container movement at the Port of Santos: exports and imports. The charts were prepared with data from DataLiner and consider only long-haul operations, excluding transshipment, cabotage, and other internal movements:

Container Exports at the Port of Santos | Jan 2022 to Aug 2025 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

Container Imports at the Port of Santos | Jan 2022 to Aug 2025 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

Mota-Engil’s representatives said the company will work closely with APS and the municipalities. They noted that Mota-Engil has the technical expertise for a project of this scale, having completed similar works around the world. However, they acknowledged the uniqueness of the Santos–Guarujá tunnel: “It’s an emblematic project that introduces a new technology to Brazil. Since it will be built while the Port remains operational, every precaution will be taken to coordinate actions with APS,” they stated.

The mayors presented their main concerns and expectations for their cities, including job creation, housing, changes to urban mobility, and the qualification of service providers, among other topics. Deputy Paulo Alexandre Barbosa reminded attendees that residents of the Baixada Santista region have awaited the tunnel for a century.

APS and the municipalities received assurances from Mota-Engil regarding transparency and information sharing, as well as commitments on construction timelines, site management, geological impacts, and the socioeconomic development of the surrounding area. Technical details will be discussed and presented after the contract is signed.

Source: APS

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