Santos Port discards out privatization and foresees R$7 billion in investments for 2024
Terminal administration will be able to prepare notices, request rentals of port facilities, carry out contract inspections
The president of the Santos Port Authority (APS), Anderson Pomini, predicted this Friday, the 17th, the officialization of the measure that gives the terminal self-management power and said that it will be published next week in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU). The measure will promote the delegation of a series of powers to the port authority, which should give greater autonomy to the administration of the unit.
Based on the decision, the authority will be able to prepare notices, bid for leases of port facilities, carry out inspections of contracts, in addition to deliberating on investment plans, among other actions.
According to Pomini, the movement comes after a request to the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, to withdraw the privatization of the port, together with the approval of the budget dedicated to investments to improve the terminal in 2024. The expected value is R$7 billion.
APS foresees the completion, at the end of 2024, of carrying out the entire regulatory and bureaucratic stage for the works on the Santos-Guarujá tunnel, which connects the two municipalities. The initiative is the largest project planned under the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC).
“The work on the Santos-Guarujá tunnel is considered one of the main actions of the federal government and we are adjusting the participation and competence of each order. Both the role relating to APS and the State and Federal governments”, stated Pomini.
Regarding privatization, Pomini stated that the discussion to withdraw from the Port of Santos occurred because the inclusion of the state-owned company within the initiative implied a series of restrictions for the company that prevented the possibility of new investments.
With Minister Silvio Costa raising awareness on the subject, according to the president of APS, the government moved forward with removing the port from the privatization program.
“We repositioned the company in the last seven months with intense collaboration from professionals, there was also financial and administrative replacement and we gained the trust of the ministry for self-management, in addition to withdrawing the port from the privatization program”, stated Pomini.
Investments
In addition to carrying out actions to progress works on the Santos-Guarujá tunnel, the port authority also plans to drain the port channel to a depth of 16 meters, which should allow the entry of larger ships into the terminal.
Another initiative planned for 2024 will be the dredging of warehouse berths and the renovation of Cais Ilha Barnabé, which is one of the main delivery points for general cargo at the Port of Santos.
Among other investments are the improvement of the perimeter road on the right bank of the Port of Santos, as well as the sophistication of the maritime traffic control system (VTMIS).
“There is a lot to do, we are optimistic, engaged, with cash resources, with the trust of the minister and the participation of the community. January will be a construction site at the unit,” said Pomini.
Source: https://www.infomoney.com.br/politica/autoridade-portuaria-de-santos-descarta-privatizacao-e-preve-r-7-bi-em-investimentos-para-2024/
