EPL promotes a study for a new port access channel concession at the Port of Paranaguá

On Monday, March 21, the state-led logistics company EPL submitted its concession study to Brazil’s Ministry of Infrastructure to construct a waterway access channel to the port of Paranaguá in Paraná. The study, which is unprecedented in the country, aims to privatize the operation of the waterway stretch between the open sea and the port pier. The project keeps the other port authority functions in charge of the Administration of the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina (APPA).

According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, the contract winner will invest nearly R$ 1.05 billion in the project’s first four years. The expansion of the waterway access channel at Paranaguá stood out among other planned enhancements, making it possible to receive larger vessels such as New Panamax class container carriers with a maximum operational draft of 15.5 meters, as well as Capesize bulk carriers up to 25,000 TPB.

The proposed project also includes maintenance dredging services, nautical beacon, Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system, bathymetric surveys, and environmental management. The concession period will be 25 years.

Currently, port authorities manage waterway access to organized ports in the country, which is financed by charging the Inframar Tariff, which shipowners or requesters pay. The waterway access concession proposal developed by EPL provides for paying the tariff to the concessionaire.

According to EPL’s CEO, Arthur Lima, EPL’s experience in port leases enables the development of innovative solutions to increase private sector investments.

“This is the first waterway access infrastructure concession project in Brazil. With it, EPL brings a new solution to dredging. The success of this project will revolutionize the Port of Paranaguá, which is the second-largest public port in terms of handling in the country,” he highlighted.

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