Report on Brazil port reform bill to be presented April 10

A report on Bill 733/2025, which proposes revisions to Brazil’s port regulatory framework, will be presented in the Chamber of Deputies on April 10, according to the bill’s rapporteur, Congressman Arthur Maia (União-BA). The document will include a substitute text that amends and complements existing legislation while preserving the current Ports Law (Law 12,815/2013).

A Tribuna exclusively followed a meeting on Wednesday afternoon (March 11) in Brasília between Maia and industry executives, held at the headquarters of the Parliamentary Front for Ports and Airports (FPPA) and the Brazilian Infrastructure Institute (IBI). The president of the FPPA, Congressman Paulo Alexandre Barbosa (PSDB), who represents the Santos region, also attended.

According to Maia, the plan is to abandon the proposal to create an entirely new law for the sector and instead present a substitute text that introduces adjustments and additions to the current legal framework, maintaining the structure of the 2013 Ports Law. The change aims to reduce political resistance and accelerate the bill’s progress through Congress.

As originally drafted, the bill could also face legal challenges over potential constitutional issues related to legislative authority. Responsibility for port policy and oversight of the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq) lies with the executive branch. The original proposal included changes to responsibilities currently assigned to the Ministry of Ports and Airports and to regulatory decisions under Antaq’s authority.

Maia said he intends to complete the report by March 30 and formally submit the final text on April 10, initiating the final stage of debate in the Chamber.

Bill 733/2025 was introduced by Congressman Leur Lomanto Júnior (União-BA) with the goal of broadly updating Brazil’s port regulatory framework. The proposal originally called for revoking the 2013 law and was based on studies produced by the Commission of Jurists for the Legal Review of Port and Port Facility Operations (Ceportos), created by the Chamber of Deputies to assess existing legislation and propose improvements for the sector.

Since then, the bill has been under discussion in a special committee established in the Chamber. Over the past year, the panel has held several public hearings with government representatives, industry specialists, port operators and labor groups in an effort to build consensus around the proposed changes.

The discussions have addressed topics including rules for port terminal leases, governance of port authorities, the operation of port authority councils, mediation of regulatory disputes and the organization of labor in the sector.

The debate has also mobilized business associations, labor unions and industry experts, reflecting the importance of the issue for Brazil’s logistics sector.

Source: A Tribuna

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