Federal Government authorizes bidding for access channel to the Port of Santos

With the private sector taking over, the goal is for the depth of the Port of Santos navigation channel to be gradually increased from 15 to 17 meters (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, announced this Friday (4th) the beginning of the bidding process for the access channel to the Port of Santos, the largest in the country. The authorization to open the concession process was sent on Thursday by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) to the National Agency for Waterway Transportation (Antaq), which will conduct a public consultation and hearing. The auction is expected to take place later this year.

According to the minister, “this project will enhance the efficiency and capacity of port operations, allowing access for even larger vessels to the Port of Santos and enabling more sustainable operations.” He also highlighted other projects under development by MPor, such as the Santos 10 Container Terminal (Tecon) at the Saboó dock, and the immersed Santos-Guarujá tunnel, which are also expected to be auctioned in 2025.

The estimated investment in the Santos navigation channel is R\$ 6.45 billion, which includes both investment and operational costs.

The Santos access channel auction will follow the model adopted for the Paranaguá Port channel in Paraná, which has already been approved by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU). The auction for the Paranaguá channel is scheduled for this month. According to the National Secretary for Ports, Alex Ávila, MPor expects that the model will attract investors and foster competition in the auctions.

“With the dredging of the channel, we will increase the port’s capacity to receive larger vessels and expand cargo handling. The depth will be gradually increased from 15 meters to 17 meters”, said the secretary.

Currently, the Port of Santos receives an average of 4,500 vessels per year, with a strong emphasis on the handling of solid bulk cargo such as soybeans, sugar, and corn. Each additional centimeter of draft in the access channel corresponds to an increase of 60 tons of cargo in the ship’s hold.

In addition to improving access for larger vessels, the concession will drive regional development, generating positive impacts on both the local and national economy, as well as employment and income.

The Port of Santos is the largest Brazilian port in terms of cargo value handled, accounting for approximately 25% of the country’s foreign trade. Last year, the port recorded cargo throughput of 138.7 million tons.

In addition to Santos and Paranaguá, auctions are also planned for the access channels of the ports of Itajaí (Santa Catarina), Bahia, and Rio Grande (Rio Grande do Sul).