Studies filed with TCU in preparation for leasing of two liquid bulk areas at Santos

On November 6th, the Ministry of Infrastructure filed studies related to lease projects for areas STS08 and STS08A at Santos with the TCU (federal court auditors). The cost of leasing the two areas to store liquid bulk (mainly fuels) will require total investments of approximately R$ 1.06 billion. This will be the largest port tender held in the last 15 years. The winners will manage the terminals for a period of 25 years.

TCU approval is the last step before the publication of the concession notice. This may take place in the first quarter of 2021, with the auction being held in the second quarter. The Minister of Infrastructure, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, reinforces the optimism: “The bidding for this area will be a major milestone, as it is the largest auction in the history of the port sector in terms of investments. The assets are attractive to the investor, who has been showing great interest in the areas ”, he explains. “Our concern is to ensure the expansion of the logistics infrastructure to ensure an increase in operating capacity,” he adds.

STS 08 will demand R$ 265.5 million in investments and STS 08A, R$ 791.8 million. The areas are contiguous and together cover 443,000 m2, divided between 137,000 m2 for STS08 and 305,600m2 forSTS08A, but they will be bid separately.

The capacity for handling liquid bulk in the Port of Santos is deficient and an expansion is needed to meet the growing demand. The project includes modernization, increased capacity of the terminals, and the construction of a new pier with two berths.

Currently, the area is operated on a precarious basis – since the contractual term has already ended – by Transpetro, a Petrobras subsidiary responsible for part of the flow of production from the São Paulo refineries and for the distribution of part of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) southeast region. The areas act as regulators of the Petrobras derivatives production stock, carrying out activities such as transfer and receipt of products from vessels, bunker supply in vessels moored at the Complex, the shipment of products from refineries, and shipment of LPG to distribution companies located in the southeast and midwest regions.

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