Court of Accounts greenlights leasing of Sao Sebastiao, Itajaí ports

The Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) approved yesterday (Feb 15) the continuation of the privatization processes of the ports of São Sebastião and Itajaí. The models were presented to the Court during the Bolsonaro Government. However, the Ministry of Ports and Airports has not detailed whether it will proceed with the concession projects of these port authorities to the private sector.

Minister Márcio França, in turn, has already ruled out the possibility of port authority privatizations more than once, especially in the case of the Port of Santos.

In yesterday’s session, TCU vetoed the creation of linked accounts with Federal Government-issued resources, which the contact winner would gain access to as the investment plan progressed. In the case of the port located north of Sao Paulo, as the cargo vocation is still unknown, the concession model foresaw the investment plan would be set post-contract signature.

The project foresaw that the winning company would invest around BRL 3.2 million in a 25-year contract. The tender notice for the Sao Sebastio tender stipulated that the equivalent of nine times the value of the grant defined in the auction and a variable contribution would be deposited in the account.

During the case’s stay at the TCU, Minister Walton Alencar asked for clarification on the fact that the amount was not paid directly to the Granting Authority. For him, there is a gap in the definition and foundation of the institute created in the modeling. According to Alencar, the government stated that the account would “ensure financial balance in case of need to carry out investments.”

However, he was not persuaded. According to him, the account would be “nothing more” than a financial reserve set up to fund investments in the port complex with public funds outside the budgetary process. “There is no legal provision for the establishment of a special fund in favor of the concession to the detriment of the Union’s general budget,” Alencar said, ordering the government to remove the account from public notice before proceeding with the auction.

The minister also suggested that the government evaluate legislative proposals that facilitate the reinvestment of privatization proceeds in the project in collaboration with the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq). The decision was the same for the Port of Itajaí.

Source: A Tribuna

To read the original reporting, visit: https://www.atribuna.com.br/noticias/portomar/tcu-da-sinal-verde-para-concessao-dos-portos-de-sao-sebastiao-e-itajai-

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