A week after approval by the National Agency for Water Transport (Antaq), the Investment Partnership Program Council (CPPI) approved the conditions for the concession of the Port of Santos (SP). The public notice will be analyzed by the Federal Audit Court (TCU), which may ratify or suggest changes.
Under the approved conditions, the Port of Santos will be granted to the private sector for 35 years, renewable for another five. The winner of the bid must pay BRL 3.015 billion plus the auction premium, which has not yet been set. In addition, it must pay 28 installments of R$105 million each between the 8th and 35th year of the concession plus 20% of consolidated gross operating revenue every year.
The CPPI also established the minimum obligations that the auction winner will have to perform. It will be up to the concessionaire to carry out dredging and demolition works in the waterway access; expand and modernize road access to the Port of Santos; implement, operate and explore the Santos–Guarujá dry connection; and maintain the operation of the Itatinga Complex.
Today’s meeting also approved the inclusion of the Rio de Janeiro and Pará Dock Companies in the National Privatization Program (PND). The Rio de Janeiro company manages the ports of the state capital, Niterói, Itaguaí and Angra dos Reis. The Pará company controls the ports of Belém, Vila do Conde and Santarém.
In both cases, privatization can be done through the sale of shares to the private sector, as was done with Eletrobras. The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) will carry out the studies, accompanied by Antaq.
airports
The CPPI also approved the postponement of the re-bidding of the Airports of Viracopos, in Campinas (SP), and of São Gonçalo do Amarante (RN), in the metropolitan region of Natal. The board revoked provisions that determined the loss of effectiveness of the rebidding deadline because the amendments were not signed within the deadline.
In both cases, the government clarifies that the signature of a new amendment by the current concessionaires is not necessary because the original amendment terms provided for the possibility for the CPPI to approve the extension of the re-bidding period without the signing of additional contracts.
The second largest cargo terminal in the country, Viracopos Airport was auctioned to the private sector in 2012. In 2019, the winning consortium asked to return the airport to the government and is awaiting an agreement to close an indemnity. In August 2021, the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) approved the bid notice, which has been analyzed by the TCU since March this year.
Auctioned in 2011, the São Gonçalo do Amarante Airport Governador Aluizio Alves International Airport, in São Gonçalo do Amarante (RN), metropolitan region of Natal, had the works completed in June 2014. In March 2020, the winning consortium expressed its intention to return the terminal to the Federal Government to be auctioned again, due to the low traffic at the site. In January, the CPPI approved the conditions for re-bidding.
The CPPI also approved today the inclusion of the Asset Management Company (Emgea) in the National Privatization Program. The plan provides for the spin-off of the company and a partial sale. Created in the 1990s, Emgea took over the management of bank liabilities that went bankrupt shortly after the Real Plan. Currently, the company is owned by Caixa Econômica Federal.
Article updated at 18:46 for additional information
