Brazil's EPL completes feasibility study for first port access channel concession

Brazil's federal planning and logistics company (EPL) completed the feasibility study for a planned concession for the access channel to the Paranaguá and Antonina port complex in the southern state of Paraná.

The study was sent by EPL to the infrastructure ministry, which will be responsible to advance with all concession procedures.

“This is the first waterway access infrastructure concession project in Brazil. With the work, EPL brings a new solution to investments in dredging. The success of this project will revolutionize the Port of Paranaguá, which is the second largest public port in the country in terms of cargo handling," said EPL president Arthur Lima in a statement. 

According to the infrastructure ministry, the winner of the auction will invest around 1.05bn reais (US$212mn) in the first four years of the 25-year contract.

Among the planned improvements are the expansion of capacity to receive larger ships, such as New Panamax class container carriers, by dredging the channel to allow for a draft of 15.5m. 

The project was included in the concessions and privatizations agenda of the investment partnerships program (PPI) last year and the expectation is to hold the auction in 2023.