BNDES approves R$848 million financing for Port of Salvador expansion

The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) has approved R$848 million in financing for Tecon Salvador, a subsidiary of Wilson Sons, to expand and modernize the container terminal at the Port of Salvador, in Bahia. The investment includes expanding the storage yard and acquiring high-tech equipment to improve logistics efficiency and boost the port’s operational capacity.

According to O Globo, the funds come from the Merchant Marine Fund and form part of the bank’s strategy to strengthen Brazil’s national logistics infrastructure. The implementation phase is expected to generate around 1,400 direct and indirect jobs, stimulating Bahia’s economy and the broader port sector in the Northeast.

Capacity doubled and economic impact
Once completed, Tecon Salvador will be able to handle over 1 million TEUs, more than double its current capacity of 553,000 TEUs. The expansion will solidify the port’s position as one of the country’s key hubs for import and export cargo.

BNDES President Aloizio Mercadante highlighted the project’s strategic importance: “The expansion of the Salvador terminal will help reduce logistical bottlenecks, strengthen trade integration among the Northeast, Central-West, and parts of the Southeast and North regions — especially Bahia, Minas Gerais, Goiás, and Tocantins — and expand national export competitiveness,” he said.

Mercadante added that the initiative aligns with the federal government’s trade policy, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which aims to increase exports of higher-value-added goods.

Long-haul container throughput at the Port of Salvador | Jan 2022 – Sep 2025 | TEU

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Regional development
Michael Connell, CFO of Wilson Sons, also emphasized the positive regional impact of the partnership: “The financing agreement with BNDES reinforces our long-term commitment to the development of Brazil’s port infrastructure. The investments in Tecon Salvador will increase terminal capacity, create jobs and income in Bahia, and strengthen our commitment to regional development,” he said.

Source: Brasil 247

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