Brazilian Air Force plans to cede area to new terminal in the Port of Santos

The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) plans to cede part of its air base in the Port of Santos to construct a new port terminal. FAB signed an agreement with BNDES to develop the project.

This is an unusual arrangement. Since the site is located outside the organized port area administered by the state-owned Santos Port Authority, the area will be turned into a private terminal. However, a public tender will choose the company that will occupy the location. According to Osmar Lima, head of the BNDES’ Privatization Department, the auction will take place in the second half of 2023.

It is a large territory, covering 600 thousand m², with access to the port estuary and a retro-area space for storage. The FAB air base is located on the left bank of the port, in front of Barnabé Island.

A preliminary examination revealed the possibility of establishing a dry or liquid bulk terminal. However, more studies will be conducted to determine this plot of land’s vocation.

The bank expects strong private interest in the area. “Several logistics groups have expressed interest and thought about projects for the site. Therefore, demand will not be a problem,” says Lima.

The FAB’s objective is not to sell the area but to make a long-term “rent.” In exchange, the new leaseholder will have to provide engineering services to the Air Force – for example, contracting renovation works for other Air Force operational bases, including landing and take-off runways and military buildings.

Such an arrangement was designed to ensure the use of resources by the Air Force. If the “rent” payment were to be done in cash, it would be deposited in the general bank of the republic. The concession of assets in exchange for engineering services was allowed in 2020 through a law that brought new rules for managing properties owned by the Brazilian Federal government.

In addition to the Santos Air Base, BNDES was also hired to model the concession of another FAB area in Rio de Janeiro. That other area is about 100 m² of land and will probably be used to house logistical facilities, focusing on last-mile logistical operations.

Details of the projects and concession arrangements are yet to be defined. The BNDES should shortly begin the process of selecting the specialists who will examine the projects. The investigations should be completed between the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, with the competition taking place in the second half of the following year. Because of the scale of the assets in Santos, public hearings are likely.

Source: Valor Econômico

To read the full original article, please go to: https://valor.globo.com/empresas/noticia/2022/06/30/forca-aerea-brasileira-planeja-ceder-area-no-porto-de-santos-para-terminal.ghtml

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