Access Channels at Key Brazilian Ports to Go Up for Private Concessions by 2026

The administration of access channels at several of Brazil’s main ports is set to be transferred to the private sector, with the government working on studies and proposals to auction these routes in 2025 and 2026. Under these concessions, designated companies will handle services such as dredging—the removal of sediment from the seabed to maintain navigable depth—through long-term contracts.

Brazilian press agency Folha de S.Paulo has obtained details of the plan, which already includes five major ports across the country. One of the most advanced initiatives pertains to the Port of Paranaguá, Paraná. In January, the draft concession notice will be submitted to the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), with the auction expected to unfold in the first half of 2025.

The 25-year contract stipulates that the winning bidder will be responsible for dredging, rock removal, maritime signaling, traffic operations, and environmental management of the port’s access channel. Projected investments for the port are estimated at R$ 1.07 billion.

The access channel concession for the Port of Itajaí in Santa Catarina is also under review, with a proposed 35-year contract requiring investments of up to R$ 2.71 billion over the agreed-upon period.

Separating channel management from terminal operations is a strategic move, given the specific demands of each type of procedure. Dredging contracts are typically short-term and managed by state-owned port authorities, which the Ministry of Ports and Airports sees as making port management more complex and costly.

Access channels for the Port of Santos in São Paulo and Rio Grande in Rio Grande do Sul are also slated for concession. The government aims to hold a public hearing on the Santos concession in the first quarter of 2025, with BNDES hiring consultants to review the proposal model. The auction is anticipated for early 2026 after TCU reviews the legal drafts.

For Rio Grande, Infra S.A.—a state-owned entity under the Ministry of Transport—is conducting technical-level studies and crafting concession models, with plans to issue the tender by early 2026.

The fifth port on the dredging concession list is the Port of Salvador, operated by the Bahia State Docks Company (Codeba). The project outlines a partial concession covering land and waterway access, property management, and other port services, with the public port authority maintaining its role. It remains undecided if the Port of Ilhéus will be included in this concession.

“With long-term contracts, essential services like dredging, rock removal, and signaling will gain in predictability, ensuring continued maintenance of port necessities,” Silvio Costa Filho, Minister of Ports and Airports, told Folha de S.Paulo. “Moreover, these extended contracts will replace short-term actions that change with each local government.”

As previously reported by Folha de S. Paulo, the government plans to auction off 22 port terminals by the end of 2025, with R$8.7 billion in projected investments. Thirteen more auctions are scheduled for 2026, adding R$2.3 billion.

Source: Santa Portal

Original text: https://santaportal.com.br/porto-e-negocios/governo-fara-concessao-inedita-para-dragagem-em-canais-dos-maiores-portos-do-pais

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