Brazil Moves Santos Tecon 10 Forward After Incorporating Audit Court Guidelines

The National Secretariat of Ports of the Ministry of Ports and Airports (SNP/MPor) has forwarded the revised draft of the lease tender for the Santos Container Terminal (Tecon Santos 10) to state-owned Infra SA for adjustments. The ministry accepted all the recommendations and determinations issued last week by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) and requested priority handling from Infra SA so that the auction can be held in March 2026.

“Tecon Santos 10 is the largest project in MPor’s lease portfolio, with investments reaching R$6.4 billion. It is an auction that elevates the capacity of Brazilian ports to a new level, positively impacting the entire national economy. The TCU’s recommendations reinforce the legal certainty of the process, reducing the risks of market concentration,” said the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho.

According to Secretary Alex Ávila, the project incorporates the recommendation addressed to the Ministry and Antaq to expand restrictions on shipping lines’ participation in the first phase of the auction. Companies already operating in the port will also only be allowed to participate in a potential second stage of the bidding process.

The adjusted model prepared by Infra SA, in line with MPor’s guidelines, also provides for a minimum concession fee, the value and assumptions of which will be jointly defined by the teams at MPor and Antaq. The TCU also determined, as a mandatory investment, the construction of an internal rail yard with a minimum handling capacity of 900 TEUs per day, an essential project not only for the logistics connectivity of Tecon Santos 10, but also for the future multimodal integration of the Port of Santos.

The expectation is that the Tecon Santos 10 tender notice will be published by the end of January, following a roadshow scheduled for early next year. The new container terminal in Santos will require investments of R$6.4 billion and will expand the Port of Santos’ container handling capacity by 50%.

See below a historical overview of container exports and imports via the Port of Santos starting in January 2022. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data:

Container Exports and Imports via the Port of Santos | Jan 2022 to Oct 2025 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

With Tecon Santos 10, the port’s annual handling capacity will reach 9 million containers and 91,000 tonnes of general cargo. Under the project, four vessel berths will be built for loading and unloading operations. According to the tender rules, the winner will be the bidder offering the highest concession fee, and the concession will be granted for a 25-year term.

Source: Ministério dos Portos e Aeroportos

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