Government wants to contract BRL 250 billion in infrastructure by the end of 2022

The federal government wants to reach around R$250 billion in investments through concessions in the transport area by the end of next year, according to the Minister of Infrastructure, Tarcísio de Freitas.

In addition, in the first half of this year alone, the federal government invested more than R$ 3 billion in various works. In the period, 51 infrastructure works were delivered, such as the restoration and completion of highways, construction of port facilities, and resources for airport improvements.

See excerpts from an interview with the minister below:

The federal government has sought to attract private investment in ports, airports, highways, and railways. In April of this year, the so-called Infraweek yielded new concessions. How much has Brazil already guaranteed in investments this year?

We have been working hard towards attracting private investment; it is essential in a scenario of fiscal restriction for us to achieve our objective, which is to reduce the infrastructure gap. The April auctions were a success. We auctioned 22 airports, one railroad, and five port terminals. We closed the month with a new highway and, in April alone, we contracted R$30 billion in new investments. In total, since the beginning of President Bolsonaro’s government, from 2019 until now, 70 assets have been auctioned. There are more than R$ 80 billion in contracted investments. This will ultimately generate many direct and indirect jobs.

What are the next steps for the program?

We are going to have important concessions. I would say that the best is yet to come, as the main assets will be auctioned between July and December. We will have the new auction for the Presidente Dutra highway, the connection between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. We are going to generate R$ 15 billion in investments there with tariff reduction. We will be able to reduce the user tariff by 35%. We will auction the first port privatization in Brazil, which will be the port of Espírito Santo. The auction of the BR-381/MG, which is something so eagerly awaited by miners, will connect Belo Horizonte to Governador Valadares. Also from BR-262, Espírito Santo. The auction of BR-493, Rio, 416, connects Rio de Janeiro to Governador Valadares and the Metropolitan Arch of Rio de Janeiro. The airport of São Gonçalo do Amarante (RN). The largest port lease in history, which will be the liquid terminals at the Port of Santos in the Lamoa area. And we are already preparing the privatization of the Port of Santos, the concessions for the Congonhas and Santos Dumont airports.

The government also wants to encourage cabotage, which is transport between ports. What are the proposals to leverage this sector?

We have a bill that is in Congress, which has already been approved in the Chamber of Deputies, which was named BR do Mar. It is a bill that creates an incentive for cabotage. It changes our vessel chartering system. So, we have new hypotheses for time charters, for bareboat charters. So, in the end, we generate new opportunities. Chartering is cheaper. And our goal is to increase the supply of vessels on the Brazilian coast. If we increase the supply of vessels and remove certain moorings, we will make this transport cheaper. Because cabotage will grow if we convince the logistics operators to try a multimodal experience, which will have a leg, for example, by road, there will be a maritime leg via cabotage.

Source: Federal Government

To read the full original article, visit the link:

https://www.gov.br/pt-br/noticias/transito-e-transportes/2021/07/governo-quer-contratar-r-250-bilhoes-em-infraestrutura-ate-o-fim-de-2022

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