Government negotiates with Paraguay and Bolivia to facilitate auction of the Paraguay Waterway

The project for the first waterway concession in Brazil’s history may face a delay in its schedule. During an interview with the Bom Dia, Minister program on Rádio GOV, the Minister of Ports and Airports, Tomé Franca, admitted that the notice for the Paraguay River Waterway, initially scheduled to be launched in 2026, may only be published at the beginning of 2027.

The main reason for the possible change in the calendar is the regulatory complexity of the waterway, which is around 1,270 kilometers long and crosses territories in Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. The undertaking requires the construction of a shared governance model between the three countries, including definitions of supervision, coordination, regulation and operational responsibilities.

According to the minister, diplomatic negotiations are progressing, but depend on the approval of the respective national parliaments for the legal model to be effectively implemented.

“We are in a very strong and advanced dialogue with Paraguay and Bolivia to establish regulatory rules. As the waterway passes through more than one territory, we need to define who coordinates, who regulates, who supervises and how the contract will work”, he explained.

Franca highlighted that the government’s goal continues to be to launch the notice in 2026, but acknowledged that the international legislative process could extend the deadlines.

The Paraguay River Waterway is considered strategic for the flow of agricultural, mineral and energy production from the Brazilian Center-West. Currently, the waterway corridor plays a fundamental role in the transport of iron ore, grains, fertilizers and fuels, connecting the region to international markets.

Another central topic discussed during the interview was the economic model of the concession. The government intends for investments in dredging, signaling and maintenance of navigability to be financed mainly by large companies using the waterway. The proposal seeks to avoid impacts on riverside communities, small vessels and local users.

According to the minister, the objective is to guarantee operational improvements without transferring costs to the population that uses the river in daily activities.

The modeling also seeks to respond to criticisms that have been made by political sectors and society, which associate the concession with the privatization of Brazilian rivers. The Ministry of Ports and Airports reinforces that the project only provides for the concession of maintenance and operation services for the waterway, fully preserving the public character of the river.

“The river remains public, it continues to belong to the population. There will be no charges for riverside communities or for small boats”, stated Franca.

Behind the scenes in the logistics sector, experts closely monitor the project’s evolution. The future concessionaire will have the challenge of maintaining navigability in a scenario of increasingly frequent climate variations, especially during dry periods that affect the level of the Paraguay River.

If implemented, the concession could represent a milestone for national logistics, creating a new model for waterway management and increasing the competitiveness of Brazilian waterway transport, especially for the agribusiness, mining and foreign trade sectors.

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