The federal government has directed the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq) to suspend preparations related to the auction of the Tecon Santos 10, a new container terminal planned for the Port of Santos, considered the largest port lease project in the history of the sector in the country.
The decision comes at a time of heated debate among government, regulatory bodies, and market agents over the bidding structure, especially regarding competition rules and the participation of groups already operating in the Santos complex. The project envisages investments exceeding R$ 6 billion and has the potential to increase by around 50% the container handling capacity at Latin America's main port.
Behind the scenes, discussion centers on restrictions to the participation of shipowners and operators already present at the Port of Santos, such as MSC and Maersk, as well as the possibility of entry by new national and international players. The suspension of preparations signals that the government intends to review sensitive points of the tender before moving forward with the bidding process.
The issue has also gained strategic relevance due to the risk of saturation of the Port of Santos' operational capacity in the coming years. Sector experts assess that Tecon Santos 10 is essential to avoid logistics bottlenecks and sustain growth in Brazilian foreign trade.
The temporary halt to preparations may postpone the schedule planned for the second half of 2026, reigniting discussions on competitiveness, market concentration, and expansion of national port infrastructure.
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