The Government of the State of São Paulo took another decisive step toward the construction of the submerged tunnel that will link Santos to Guarujá. Through Decree No. 70.472/2026, published last Friday (October 4), the release of R$ 2.64 billion was authorized as supplementary credit in the budget of the Secretariat of Partnerships in Investments (SPI).
The funds represent the state's counterpart within the public-private partnership (PPP) model, which also involves the federal government and the private sector. The work will be executed by the Mota-Engil consortium, winner of the concession auction held in September 2025.
The project provides for the construction of a structure approximately 1.5 kilometers in length, with roughly 870 meters in the submerged section under the channel. The proposal is to create an efficient alternative to the current ferry crossing and highway routes, reducing travel time between the two cities to approximately five minutes. Today, this route can take up to one hour, depending on traffic conditions.
Beyond its direct impact on urban mobility, the tunnel is considered strategic for the port sector. The new link is expected to improve logistics flow in the region, reducing bottlenecks and expanding operational efficiency at Santos Port, the largest in Latin America.
The expectation is that the project will represent a milestone in national infrastructure, integrating urban mobility and port logistics in a single undertaking, with potential to boost the regional economy and increase the competitiveness of Brazilian foreign trade.
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