Brazil publishes tender notices for first 2026 port lease auctions

Brazil has published the tender notices for the first block of port lease auctions scheduled for 2026, formally kicking off next year’s port concession calendar, the country’s waterway regulator Antaq said.

The auctions will cover four port terminals located in the North, Northeast and South of the country and are set to take place on Feb. 26 at the B3 stock exchange in São Paulo. Combined, the leases are expected to generate around 229 million reais in investments.

According to Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho, the auctions reinforce the federal government’s strategy of attracting private capital to modernize Brazil’s infrastructure.

“The publication of the tender notices at the very start of the year shows that the federal government is maintaining a consistent pace in its port concession agenda,” the minister said in a statement. “These four terminals are strategic for their regions and for Brazil as a whole, and are part of a broader plan to expand logistics capacity, attract investment and promote regional development with legal certainty.”

The terminals up for auction serve different market segments, ranging from the shipment of agricultural and mineral commodities to passenger transport, with contract lengths and investment requirements tailored to the characteristics of each operation.

At the Port of Santana, in the northern state of Amapá, the MCP01 terminal carries estimated investments of 150.2 million reais under a 25-year lease. The terminal plays a key role for the state and for the so-called Northern Arc logistics corridor and is primarily earmarked for the shipment of grain and wood chips.

At the Port of Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte, the NAT01 terminal is focused on handling mineral bulk, particularly iron ore. The project foresees investments of 55.17 million reais and a 15-year lease term, strengthening port activity in Brazil’s Northeast and supporting the state’s economy.

In southern Brazil, the POA26 terminal at the Port of Porto Alegre, dedicated to the handling and storage of vegetable solid bulk, is expected to receive 21.13 million reais in investments under a 10-year lease. The project is part of efforts to modernize port infrastructure in the region.

At the Port of Recife, in Pernambuco, the TMP Recife passenger terminal will be auctioned with planned investments of 2.3 million reais and a 25-year concession term. The project aims to bolster the Northeast cruise market, linking Recife with passenger terminals in Fortaleza, Maceió and Salvador and reinforcing the region’s tourism profile.

With the publication of the tender notices, the process now moves into the market consultation phase. Interested parties will be able to submit clarification requests until early February, in line with the official timetable. Antaq will publish consolidated responses ahead of the auction to provide transparency and predictability for investors.

The public auction session is scheduled for Feb. 26, 2026, at B3 in São Paulo, when financial bids will be received and ranked. The results will be published on the websites of the Ministry of Ports and Airports and Antaq.

Source: Ministry of Ports and Airports

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