Brazil projects US$4.4bn in 11 infra concessions

Brazil plans to hold 11 new tenders for highway and port terminals, with combined investments of 23.5bn real (US$4.4bn), between now and year-end, the infrastructure ministry said in a release.

The so-called ‘Super Infra’ round comprises two highway and nine port terminal concessions.

The tenders are due to kick off on Friday with what the government claims will be the biggest highway concession in the country’s history: the new concession for the Dutra highway (BR-116), which connects Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, coupled with the Rio-Santos highway (BR-101).

Nearly 15bn reais in investments are expected for the concession, the ministry said. 

The concession includes more than 600km of additional lanes and converting 80km into divided highway.

The infrastructure ministry says the concession will mean a drop in tolls of up to 35%. 

In addition, almost 1.5bn reais will be invested in the Guarulhos region in metropolitan São Paulo to solve existing bottlenecks and facilitate access to São Paulo’s international airport. 

The tender involves the free flow system, which eliminates the need for toll plazas, in the region of Guarulhos, with toll discounts according to use.

Also, the concessionaire will have to adopt new road safety technology to reduce accidents, called iRap, in addition to CCTV cameras and Wi-Fi and LED lighting along the Dutra highway.

PORTS

On November 5, the government will award three port terminals in the northeast region, totaling 300mn reais in investments. The new terminals are in Rio Grande do Norte (for sea salt), Alagoas (sugar storage) and Ceará (fuel storage).

On November 19, two important areas for fuel storage will be tendered at Santos port in São Paulo (STS08 and STS08A), totaling nearly 1bn reais in investments in an area of around 450,000m2.

On the same day, another four port terminals will be tendered, amounting to 138mn reais in investments. 

One will be in Paraíba, for granite storage at Porto do Cabedelo (AE14); one in Santa Catarina, for liquid bulk at Imbituba (IMB05); one in Rio de Janeiro, for solid mineral bulk at Itaguaí (ITG03); and another in Rio Grande do Sul for solid bulk vegetables at Porto Alegre (POA01).

The Super Infra round closes on December 10 with the concession of highways BRs-381 and Br-262, in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states, with estimated investments of 7bn reais.

Since 2019, 74 transport projects have been awarded to the private sector, totaling almost 74bn reais in investments over the next few years, the ministry said.