Megaterminal in Santos included in new list of delayed Federal Government auctions

Tecon Santos 10, at the Port of Santos, is a landmark among auctions that are repeatedly announced and postponed (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) has become an expert at repeating announcements. The latest development involving the ministry is the portfolio of investments in the port sector for the 2027–2030 period, announced by Minister Tomé Franca at the beginning of this month.

The figures and the number of projects are immediately impressive: 34 auctions involving R\$ 20.6 billion in investments by companies in the assets, 70 authorizations for private ventures involving R\$ 33.1 billion in funding, and 18 public port infrastructure projects totaling R\$ 2.15 billion.

The problem is that the main projects were already part of this year's agenda, which is now drawing to a close. In other words, they were announced but never got off the ground. These include the Tecon Santos 10 Container Terminal, at the Saboó waterfront (STS10), at the Port of Santos, a long-running saga involving a projected R\$ 6.45 billion investment by the winning bidder; SSB01, a multipurpose terminal at the Port of São Sebastião (SP), whose lessee is expected to invest R\$ 3.84 billion; and ITJ01, the project for the permanent lease of the container and general cargo terminal at the Port of Itajaí (SC), with R\$ 2.66 billion in private investment planned for the site.

The portfolio also includes VDC10, intended for the handling and storage of dry and liquid bulk cargo at the Port of Vila do Conde (PA), in Barcarena, with R\$ 1.93 billion in projected investments, and IQI15, a terminal at the Port of Itaqui (MA) for the handling and storage of dry vegetable bulk cargo, with R\$ 1.22 billion in investments. Neither facility is new to the plans: the project in Pará was initially scheduled for last year, while the one in Maranhão was slated for 2026.

National Secretary of Ports Alex Sandro de Ávila was questioned by A Tribuna about the issue during the 2nd Mulheres a Bordo 2026, held last week at the auditorium of the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) in Brasília.

He downplayed the situation and avoided describing the process as “repetition”, instead referring to it as “continuity”, despite delays having been a recurring issue at MPor over the years.

Ávila explained that, until the auction takes place, the project remains in the development portfolio “so that it can reach a level of maturity at which it has all the approvals and authorizations required to be presented to the market”.

“I continue to believe, based on my assessment, that this is a portfolio of projects that has considerable alignment and synergy with the logistical needs of various types of cargo, particularly in the North and Northeast regions of the country. This is especially true because projections indicate a strong trend for agribusiness to continue growing and developing, particularly in these regions”, he said.

Ávila emphasized the importance of planning. “That is why we see this as continuity”, he commented.

A Tribuna contacted MPor to obtain further details on all the planned investments in the port sector included in the portfolio. Initially, the ministry requested an extension to respond, which was granted. Even so, the Ministry failed to meet the deadline and provided no clarification.