Paraná’s highway Lot 6 draws bid from EPR; three port terminals up for auction
12/17/2024
The federal government is set to conduct auctions this week for three port terminals—in Maceió, Rio de Janeiro, and Amapá—in addition to a major highway concession in Paraná. These projects are expected to attract a combined investment of R$16.3 billion, with R$12.7 billion allocated to highways and R$3.6 billion to ports.
Paraná’s Lot 6 marks the conclusion of a series of road auctions. The contract received a bid from EPR, a roadway platform by Equipav and Perfin, as representatives of the group submitted a proposal on Monday (16). This year’s final auction is scheduled for Thursday (19).
The project was considered the most challenging among those auctioned in December due to the size of the contract. The lot includes 662 kilometers of roads connecting Guarapuava to the Brazil-Paraguay Friendship Bridge and a stretch between Cascavel and Pato Branco in the southwest of the state. Planned projects include the dualling of 462.5 kilometers.
Additionally, operational costs are anticipated to reach approximately R$7.4 billion over the 30-year concession contract period.
EPR previously secured Paraná’s Lot 2 last year. Formed in 2022 after winning state concessions in Minas Gerais, the group has become a regular participant in road auctions. Besides the projects in Minas and Lot 2, the company also won the concession of the BR-040 between Belo Horizonte and Juiz de Fora.
Last week, the group participated in two federal road project bids but failed to win any contracts amid stiff competition. Paraná’s Lot 3 was awarded to CCR, which outbid EPR, Pátria, and the 4UM Opportunity consortium; while the Rota Verde in Goiás was claimed by the Aviva consortium, in partnership with Azevedo and Travassos, defeating BTG, EPR, and XP.
The port sector auction, slated for Wednesday (18), will feature the iron ore terminal ITG 02, at the Itaguaí Port, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, as the key asset. This new development will need to be built from scratch and is projected to require investments of around R$3.53 billion. The contract is expected to last 35 years.
Located in the “middle area” between Vale and CSN terminals, the facility is expected to handle 20 million tonnes of ore annually. The selection criterion will be the highest concession fee offered by the future lessee to the government, with a minimum bid set at just R$1, a common practice in port auctions.
In addition to the iron ore terminal, two smaller assets will be auctioned, one in Maceió and another in Santana Port in Amapá. The MCP 03 in Santana is designated for solid bulk cargos, primarily soy and corn.
The 25-year contract anticipates R$89 million in investments. The terminal is already operational, but the new contract aims to more than double the area from the current 4,900 square meters to about 11,700 square meters, and to construct new silos to increase capacity. Currently, the area is operated by Cianport (Companhia Norte de Navegações e Portos) under a transitional contract.
The terminal in Maceió, MAC 16, is intended for the flow of solid mineral bulk, especially copper concentrate. This facility is also operational, managed by Empresa Mineração Vale Verde. The new contract to be auctioned will last five years, with an extension option, and includes R$6.1 million in construction investments. For both projects, the competition criterion will also be the concession fee, with a minimum of R$1.
Both the port and highway auctions will take place at the B3 headquarters in São Paulo.
*By Taís Hirata — São Paulo
Source: Valor International