Government creates working group to consolidate position on Tecon Santos 10

The federal government took another step in the process of defining the concession model for Tecon Santos 10 (STS10)considered the largest port project in the history of Brazil. The Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) established a Working Group (GT) responsible for preparing a joint technical statement on the project, a document that will serve as the basis for analysis by the National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ).

The creation of the group was made official through an ordinance published on Official Gazette of the Union and occurs after ANTAQ asked the federal government for a unified position on the modeling of the auction, in light of discussions involving the rules for participation of interested parties.

Document will seek to align government understanding

The group will be made up of representatives from National Port Secretariatlinked to the Ministry of Ports and Airports, and the Special Secretariat for the Investment Partnership Program (PPI)from the Civil House.

The mission will be to consolidate a single technical manifestation that reflects the government’s understanding of the concession format, offering greater legal and regulatory security for the continuity of the bidding process.

ANTAQ’s request was sent after the agency identified the need for clarification on the guidelines sent by the Executive, mainly in relation to the competitive model of the auction.

Debate on the auction model

Tecon Santos 10 has become one of the most debated projects in the Brazilian port sector due to divergences surrounding the rules for participation of shipowners and operators already operating in the Port of Santos.

In recent months, the government has started to defend a more open model, allowing the participation of companies already established in the port, as long as they comply with any divestment requirements if they win the bid. The proposal differs from previous models, which provided for restrictions to avoid market concentration.

Strategic project for the Port of Santos

Tecon Santos 10 foresees investments estimated at approximately R$6.4 billion for the implementation of a new container terminal in the Saboó region, in the Port of Santos.

With about 621 thousand square metersfour new berths and the capacity to significantly expand container movement, the project is considered essential to meet the growth in logistics demand in the coming decades.

According to the Ministry of Ports and Airports, the entry into operation of the new terminal could elevate Brazil from 45th to 15th position in the world ranking of container handlingstrengthening the competitiveness of the Port of Santos and Brazilian foreign trade.

Next steps

After the group’s work is completed, the joint technical statement will be forwarded to ANTAQ, which will continue with the regulatory analysis necessary for the publication of the bidding notice.

The government’s expectation is that the alignment between the Ministry of Ports and Airports, the Civil House and the regulatory agency will contribute to reducing uncertainties, increasing the legal security of the project and guaranteeing the progress of one of the most important investments planned for Brazilian port infrastructure.