Santos reckoning

Brazil’s Minister of Infrastructure, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, stated on 27 October that the studies to define the privatisation model of the Port of Santos, on the coast of São Paulo, are close to completion and a public consultation on privatisation should take place later this year, reported Agência Brasil.

“I believe that at the end of November or beginning of December we are releasing the documents for a public hearing”, said Freitas, during an online seminar on Agribusiness promoted by the bank BTG Pactual.

The model for privatising the port has been prepared by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES).

Freitas stressed that the winning bid at the auction should commit a large volume of resources to improve the infrastructure in Santos. “We are talking about R$ 16 billion in investment,” stated the minister.

Among the works to be carried out by the winning concessionaire is the deepening of the port’s channel from 15m to 17m, the construction of a tunnel between Santos and Guarujá, and several other improvements in road and rail access around the port.