Portuguese 
Spanish 
Billion-dollar project prepares new connection between Santos and Guarujá with unprecedented underwater work in the country, hiring professionals and public space to present history, technical data, and model of a crossing awaited for decades in the Baixada Santista.
The construction of the Santos-Guarujá Tunnel, on the coast of São Paulo, has entered the preparation phase with the hiring of workers, organization of the construction site in Guarujá, and creation of a public space to gather information about the project.
With an estimated cost of R$ 6.8 billion, the work will have 870 meters under the port channel and promises to create a dry connection between two of the main cities of the Baixada Santista.
Responsible for the execution, Mota-Engil signed the Public-Private Partnership contract with the Government of São Paulo on January 28, 2026, after winning the auction held at B3 in September 2025.
-
Brazilian Innovator Develops Concrete Blocks from Recycled Plastic, Eliminating Mortar and Reducing Construction Costs
-
Brazilian Woman Builds House with Recycled Plastic Bottles, Halving Construction Costs in the Process
-
Couple Sold Their Home to Live in a Trailer While Converting a Granite Tower into an Award-Winning 11-Meter Residence in Cornwall
-
Sustainable Building Solutions Enhance Durability, Long-Term Savings, and Comfort in Home Construction and Renovation
Under the agreement, the Portuguese group will be in charge of the construction, operation, and maintenance of the crossing for 30 years, within a model that combines public resources and private investment.
Public room will gather data and history of the tunnel
Next to the future construction site in Guarujá, the Santos Port Authority intends to open a room aimed at the public and also at technical meetings related to the progress of the tunnel.
In this environment, project data, historical information, and the model currently installed at the Technological Park in Santos should be concentrated to facilitate public access to the enterprise.
According to APS president Anderson Pomini, the proposal is to create a reference point for residents, workers, students, and representatives of entities interested in understanding the complexity of the work.
“The idea is to centralize 100% of the information in this room for everyone who wants to know the complexity and history of this work,” said Pomini, explaining the purpose of the space planned in Guarujá.
After the completion of the dry connection between Santos and Guarujá, the intention is to preserve the memory of the enterprise at another address, with the possibility of transferring this narrative to Parque Valongo, in Santos.
Hiring of workers enters the preparation of the work
On the front of preparation for the project, the concessionaire Mota-Engil has already begun movements to hire and train professionals in Santos and Guarujá, according to information provided by Anderson Pomini.
Although he confirmed the existence of an open human resources structure, the president of APS did not detail the official selection channels or the criteria used for filling the vacancies.
According to the official schedule, 2026 will be dedicated to the development of the functional and executive projects, in addition to complementary studies and other necessary stages before the physical advancement of construction.
Starting in 2027, the mobilization of the sites, the construction of the dry dock, and the preliminary dredging are planned, according to the planning released by the Government of São Paulo for the project.
In 2028, the schedule indicates the fabrication of the concrete modules that will form the immersed structure, while the installation of these elements in the port channel is planned for 2029.
The completion of the systems, finishes, and operational tests appear in the schedule for 2030, the stage before the opening of the commercial operation planned for 2031.
Immersed tunnel structure will have LRT, cyclists, and pedestrians
With a total length of 1.5 kilometers, the Santos-Guarujá Immersed Tunnel will have 870 meters submerged and will be formed by concrete modules installed on the bed of the port channel.
The structure was planned with three lanes in each direction, space for the Light Rail Transit, passage for pedestrians and cyclists, in addition to a service gallery integrated into the project.
Officially presented as the first immersed tunnel in Brazil, the project will use a technique where the modules are manufactured outside the channel and then positioned underwater.
This solution was chosen to enable the connection between the two banks of the Port of Santos, a region marked by intense flow of residents, workers, cargo, and services related to port activity.
According to the Government of São Paulo, the crossing is expected to reduce the travel time between Santos and Guarujá to less than five minutes, changing the routine of those who depend on this route.
Currently, the road connection between the two municipalities requires a journey of about 40 kilometers, with a trip that can take approximately one hour under certain traffic conditions.
Billion-dollar investment will have public and private resources
In the financial model planned for the tunnel, the total estimated cost is R$ 6.8 billion, with participation of public resources and private investment from the concessionaire responsible for the execution.
The officially reported public investment amounts to R$ 5.13 billion, with participation from the Government of São Paulo and the Federal Government, while the remaining portion will be the responsibility of Mota-Engil.
In addition to construction, the contract provides for commercial operation starting in 2031, after the completion of the works, installation of systems, and performance of necessary tests for operation.
The oversight of the project will be the responsibility of the São Paulo State Transport Agency and the Government of São Paulo, who will monitor the execution of the PPP throughout the contract.
More than just a new urban connection, the tunnel is directly related to the logistics of the Port of Santos, the largest port complex in the country and a strategic axis for cargo circulation.
In this context, the new crossing seeks to reduce mobility bottlenecks in an area where the movements of residents, workers, service vehicles, and port-related operations intersect.
Pomini stated that the concessionaire will have a deadline to advance in professional training, define the route, and assess any need for expropriations, always with the involvement of the relevant authorities.
These definitions will be decisive in detailing how the construction site will be implemented, which areas might be directly affected, and how the population will follow the changes in the surroundings.
Planned to function as an information point in Guarujá, the public space is expected to bring residents closer to a project discussed for decades and now incorporated into the official planning.
Among models, technical data, and historical records, the room proposed by APS is expected to help connect the project to the routine of those who will be impacted by the construction and the future crossing.
