Brazil opts for short-term solution for Itajaí port

A subsidiary of Brazilian food industry giant JBS will assume a two-year leasing contract to operate the Itajaí port in Santa Catarina state while a tender is prepared for a longer-term contract.

The previous concession contract held by Maersk's APM Terminals expired at the end 2022, leaving the port virtually halted. The state government is currently operating it in a limited way. The federal government tried last year to advance with a tender for a short-term contract of two years to gain time in preparing a longer-term concession but failed due to a legal battle between firms interested in the contract.

With the new contract, JBS unit Seara will operate the areas and facilities for the movement and storage of containerized and general cargo, waterways regulator Antaq said in a statement.

"The objective of the contract was to quickly reestablish the port's operations until the port infrastructure concession process is completed, which has already begun through a public hearing,” said Antaq.

Antaq has previously said that its plan is to hold an auction for a contract that would require estimated investments of 2.8bn reais (US$543mn) over nine years.