Brazilian government extends JBS contract at Port of Itajaí

The Ministry of Ports has extended JBS Terminais’ transitional lease at the Port of Itajaí. The addendum was signed on September 11 and will remain valid for up to two years, or until the definitive auction of the terminal is held in the first half of 2026 — whichever comes first.

The document was signed by the National Secretary of Ports, Alex Sandro de Ávila; the Director-General of the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), Frederico Carvalho Dias; the President of the Santos Port Authority (APS), Anderson Pomini; and the directors of JBS Terminais, Aristides Russi Júnior and Roberto Carlos Morgan Castagnaro.

The Ministry stated that the decision guarantees the continuity of operations and aligns the transitional lease with the long-term concession model. The project has been qualified under the Investment Partnerships Program (PPI) and foresees unified management of port areas through a single lease.

The contract also establishes compensation per square meter and per container handled. According to the federal government, this arrangement increases port authority revenue. The extension also takes into account the release of new areas for cargo handling and JBS’s planned investments in the terminal.

The company’s transitional lease began in December 2023, initially under the management of Mada Araújo. In September 2024, ownership was transferred to Seara, part of the JBS group, which resumed container handling after a nearly two-year suspension. Since July, the company has concentrated all port operational areas under a model authorized by Antaq and the Ministry of Ports, serving as a pilot for the future concession.

Performance and investments
From October 2024 to the present, JBS Terminais has handled over 200,000 TEUs at Itajaí. Between January and July alone, 168,000 units were processed, with July accounting for 34,256 TEUs. The company’s goal is to reach 44,000 containers per month.

JBS also projects investments exceeding R$130 million at the port. The Ministry of Ports’ schedule foresees the publication of the channel concession notice later in 2025. The terminal auction is expected to take place in 2026. According to the federal government, this will be an unprecedented model in Brazil, as it separates the channel concession from terminal operations.

Source: Guararema News

Sharing is caring!