By Brazil Stock Guide – Brazil’s government has set February 26 as the date for the first port auction block of 2026, to be held at B3 in São Paulo, offering four terminals with R$229 million in planned investments. The assets are located in Macapá (AP), Natal (RN), Porto Alegre (RS) and Recife (PE) and include operations involving grains, mineral bulk, solid bulk and passenger traffic, according to the Ministry of Ports and Airports and the National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ).
The auction opens the federal port concessions calendar for 2026 and reinforces the administration’s strategy to expand logistics capacity beyond Brazil’s Southeast. Since 2023, the government has carried out 26 port auctions, securing R$15.5 billion in contracted investments, Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho said when announcing the new round.
Decentralization strategy
The February block brings together assets from the North, Northeast and South, reflecting a push to decentralize port investments and support regional development. Project studies and financial models have already been submitted by the National Secretariat of Ports to ANTAQ, clearing a key regulatory stage ahead of the auction.
ANTAQ director-general Frederico Dias said the initiative reflects a long-term vision for Brazil’s waterway infrastructure, aimed at providing a stable and efficient regulatory framework that encourages private investment, expands capacity and improves national logistics performance.
Four assets, different profiles
The largest project in the block is MCP01, at the Port of Santana in Amapá, focused on the outflow of grains and wood chips. The terminal involves R$150.2 million in planned investments and a 25-year concession, making it a strategic logistics hub for northern Brazil.
In the Northeast, two terminals are included. NAT01, in Natal (RN), is dedicated to mineral bulk, particularly iron ore, with R$55.17 million in investments and a 15-year concession. TMP Recife (PE), a passenger terminal, carries R$2.3 million in planned investments and a 25-year term, designed to support an integrated cruise circuit connecting Recife with Fortaleza, Maceió and Salvador.
In the South, POA26, located within the organized port area of Porto Alegre (RS), will be leased for 10 years, with R$21.13 million in investments, and is intended for solid bulk handling and storage, contributing to port modernization in the region.
What’s at stake
By opening the 2026 calendar with a diversified auction block, the government signals continuity and predictability in its port concessions policy at a time when investors are seeking long-term infrastructure assets with stable cash flows. The mix of cargo profiles and concession lengths broadens the potential investor base and reduces concentration risk.
The pipeline extends beyond February. National Secretary of Ports Alex Ávilla said the government is preparing additional auctions, including Tecon Santos 10 at the Port of Santos, approved by Brazil’s federal audit court (TCU) and scheduled for March, as well as a roadshow in January to present upcoming projects to potential investors.