Antaq opens public consultation on the bidding process for the Port of Santos channel on Tuesday

Concession project foresees deepening to 16 meters and later to 17 meters (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq) will submit the bidding process for the concession of the Port of Santos navigation channel to public consultation starting next Tuesday. The notice was published this Wednesday (11) in the Diário Oficial da União (DOU), and interested parties may submit their contributions to the regulatory agency until May 2. The date of the public hearing will be defined at a later time.

The concession model for the Santos waterway channel meets the technical and operational requirements of the Autoridade Portuária de Santos (APS), encompassing dredging works to deepen the channel to 16 and 17 meters and a feasibility study for 18 meters, channel maintenance, and the implementation of VTMIS (Vessel Traffic Management and Information System).

The project involves a financial flow of R\$ 23.4 billion over the 25-year contract period, which may be extended up to 70 years. The minimum mandatory infrastructure investment, to be carried out by the eighth year of the contract, is R\$ 688.1 million.

The navigation channel is 24.6 kilometers long (divided into four sections), 220 meters wide, with a nominal depth of 15 meters and an approved operational draft ranging from 13.5 meters at low tide to 14.5 meters at high tide.

According to Antaq, interested parties may submit contributions, supporting information, and suggestions aimed at improving the technical and legal documents related to the tender. The documentation and the electronic form for submitting contributions are available at the link bit.ly/4loqzgv.

Text contributions must be filled out in the electronic form, while digital images (maps, plans, and photographs) must be attached to the email anexo_audiencia022026@antaq.gov.br, with identification of the contributor. The deadline for submitting contributions is 11:59 p.m. on May 2.

Contributions may also be submitted using the computer available at the general secretariat of Antaq, in Brasília, or at the agency’s regional offices. All contributions received will be made available on the website.