The Federal Government plans to offer concessions through 11 auctions during the remainder of the year; the private sector is optimistic
The Brazilian federal government's plan to offer concessions to several port terminals in the coming months is motivating private sector participants to raise money in preparation for upcoming auctions.
Container terminal operator Santos Brazil is trying to raise at least 1 billion reais ($190 million) through a primary equity offering on the local market to buy new port assets. The company said it plans to sell 192,68 million shares on Sept. 24.
AUCTIONS
The government plans to offer concessions through 11 auctions during the rest of the year, including for terminals in the ports of Paranaguá, Vila do Conde, Itaqui, Aratu, Itaguaí, Porto Alegre and Maceió.
In January 2021, auctions are scheduled for two liquid fuel terminals in Itaqui, a liquid bulk / sulfuric acid terminal in Maceió and one for handling soy in Macapá.
Last month, the Ministry of Infrastructure held auctions for concessions for three port areas – raising more than 500 million reais.
One of these concessions was at the port of Vila do Conde, in northern Pará, for the installation and operation of a gas-fired plant and a floating LNG storage and regasification unit. The concession was granted to Centrais Elétricas de Barcarena ( Celba ), comprising the Golar Power Plants and Evolution Power (EPP).
The other two terminals offered by the federal government were in the port of Santos and will have a total investment of 380 million reais during the 25-year concession period. Both terminals are used for pulp and were awarded to Eldorado Celulose and Bracell, respectively.
SHOWING RESILIENCE
The Brazilian port sector remained resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic. State and private ports handled 538 Mt of cargo in the first half, an increase of 4,4% over the previous year, according to the National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ)
Cargoes with oil and derivatives and soy were the ones that grew the most, 19,8% and 31,4% to 123 Mt and 81 Mt, respectively.
