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Brazil Targets Mid-December Auction for Santos STS-10 as TCU Weighs Model

The schedule hinges on a pending TCU ruling.

Overview

  • Ports Minister Silvio Costa Filho said the STS-10 tender is planned for a December 15–25 window, with the government’s opinion already sent to the TCU.
  • If the TCU clears the model in October, the ministry plans an investor roadshow in November to present the project.
  • TCU technical staff advised a single-phase auction without bans on current Santos operators, challenging the ministry’s two-phase design that restricts incumbents.
  • Cade and the Finance Ministry have raised competition and policy concerns over excluding established players, while industry groups warn the restrictions risk litigation and delays.
  • STS-10 is billed as Brazil’s largest container expansion at over 2 million TEU annually, and the government also aims to launch the São Sebastião port concession in the first quarter of 2026.