The National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ) has held a public hearing to receive contributions, subsidies and suggestions for improving the technical and legal documents related to the holding of a bidding process for the concession of waterway access (access channel) to the Port of Paranaguá (PR) in Brazil.

The proposal outlines a contractual term of 25 years, with the commencement of the designated area scheduled for the year 2024 and the potential for successive extensions, capped at a maximum of 70 years. The estimated Capital Expenditure (Capex) stands at BRL1.07 billion (US$219.5 million), Operating Expenditure (Opex) at BRL2.35 billion (US$482 Million), and the overall gross revenue projection at BRL8.85 billion (US$1.8 billion).

Key enhancements in the Paranaguá Access Channel concession project encompass the deepening, widening, and expansion of the channel, alongside the enlargement of the evolution basin and the deepening of anchoring area number 6. Consequently, there is an anticipation of an increase to 13.3 m during the implementation phase, progressing to 15.5 m post-concession, facilitating the accommodation of larger vessels. The prospective concessionaire will be responsible for all requisite investments to attain the established objectives, encompassing activities such as dredging, demolition, nautical signaling, bathymetry, environmental programs, and monitoring services, among others.