Chinese companies eye Port of Santos auctions for STS10 and access channel

Chinese companies that met with Brazil’s federal government in China this week will assess possible participation in future Port of Santos auctions, including the lease of the STS 10 container terminal and the concession of the port’s waterway access channel, Brazil’s ports and airports ministry MPor said.

According to Datamar container throughput data, the Port of Santos imported 780,406 TEUs in the first half of 2026. Exports, meanwhile, totaled 697,538 TEUs. The chart below compares deep-sea container movements in both directions:

Exports & Imports | Port of Santos | Jan 2022 – Jun 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Ports and Airports Minister Tomé Franca began an official mission to China and Singapore on Monday, August 24, with the trip scheduled to continue until Saturday. According to MPor, the goal is to attract foreign investors to infrastructure projects already under development and others expected to be launched by the ministry later this year.

The China leg of the visit began with meetings with Chinese companies and investors to present infrastructure projects in Brazil and expand international cooperation in the port, airport and waterway sectors.

In Beijing, meetings included representatives from companies such as China State Construction Engineering Corporation, or CSCEC; China Communications Construction Company, or CCCC; China Merchants Port Holdings; and Cofco Group.

In Shanghai, Franca concluded the China portion of the mission on Thursday with a meeting with representatives from Cosco Shipping, one of the world’s largest shipping and port logistics companies. Cosco had previously presented MPor with a project to develop a rail network at the Port of Santos integrated with existing infrastructure.

On Friday, in Singapore, the minister is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding to create a Green and Digital Shipping Corridor with Brazil. The initiative is intended to promote cooperation on the decarbonization and digitalization of maritime transport.

The possible interest from Chinese groups adds another international dimension to upcoming Port of Santos auctions, which are considered central to Brazil’s plans to expand capacity and improve efficiency at the country’s largest port complex.

Source: A Tribuna

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