B3 presents 14 auctions that test the market’s interest in large projects

The month of March will feature a series of 14 auctions on B3 (Brasil, Bolsa e Balcão: Brazil’s official stock exchange) that should boost national infrastructure, measuring market interest in large projects and potentially releasing R$41 billion in private investments aimed at highways, basic sanitation, airports and the social sector.

The auction that defined the management of Campinas’ public transport system took place last Thursday (5). The tender provided for the division of the operation into two lots: North and South. The company Sancetur (Santa Cecília Turismo) won the South Lot, which comprises the East, South and Southwest regions, with neighborhoods such as Centro, Parque Oziel and Ouro Verde. She presented an offer for a remuneration rate of R$9.54, which represents a discount (difference between the value proposed in the notice and the winning bid) of 14.90% in relation to the maximum value foreseen in the notice, of R$11.21.

The Grande Campinas consortium won the North Lot, which serves the North, West and Northwest regions, with neighborhoods such as Barão Geraldo and Campo Grande. The group offered a remuneration rate of R$9.49, a discount of 19.30% in relation to the maximum established by the notice, which was R$11.76.

After decades with the same operators, the company Sancetur and the Grande Campinas consortium will manage public transport in Campinas for the next 15 years, with the possibility of extension for another 5. However, the change of management is not immediate. There must be a series of legal procedures to be followed before the operation begins.

In addition to Campinas, another highly anticipated auction is the Galeão auction. In 2013, the airport was purchased by the consortium between Odebrecht and Changi, and there were great expectations for accelerated growth in the airline sector. The winning bid in that auction was R$19 billion, an amount that ended up becoming unaffordable in a context of economic recession and pandemic.

Galeão International Airport is one of the main entry points for foreigners in Brazil and is among the busiest domestic routes in the country. The winner of the auction will assume management of the asset under new conditions, including the closure of the partnership with Infraero, which currently holds a 49% shareholding.

Among the other auctions scheduled for March are: the sanitary sewage PPP in Goiás, scheduled for March 25; the concession of Block 2 of highways, which includes ERS-128, ERS-129, ERS-130, ERS-324, RSC-453 and ERS-135, carried out by the government of Rio Grande do Sul on the 13th; the auction of the BR-251 and BR-116 highways, held by ANTT (National Land Transport Agency) on the 31st, among others.