Antaq Admits Possible Five-Year Extension for Terminal Ponta Negra to Start Operations
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Brazil's National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq) acknowledged the possibility of granting a five-year extension for the start of operations at Terminais Ponta Negra (TPN), a port project planned for Jaconé beach, in Maricá, Rio de Janeiro. The decision was recorded in Ruling No. 643/2026, published in the Diário Oficial da União on Tuesday, November 3, at the request of DTA Engenharia, holder of adhesion contract No. 04/2018 signed with the then Ministry of Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation.
A Large-Scale Project
The project involves estimated investments of R$1.5 billion and the construction of a private-use terminal for handling oil, gas and other cargo, covering an area of more than five million square meters. The planned infrastructure includes marine facilities, storage areas and connections to road and rail networks. In addition to acknowledging the possibility of extending the deadline, Antaq's board approved changes to the project's physical-financial schedule, although the new execution dates were not detailed in the publication.
Environmental and Legal Obstacles
One of the main obstacles to building the port is linked to environmental licensing. In August 2025, the State Environmental Institute (Inea) denied authorizations for vegetation clearing and wildlife management needed to carry out stages of the project, after identifying 25 species threatened with extinction and another 12 endemic species in the area, including concerns over preserving a caixeta forest located in a permanent preservation area. The project is also facing a public civil action filed in 2019 by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) and the Rio de Janeiro State Public Prosecutor's Office, which challenges aspects of the environmental licensing; in 2024 the Supreme Federal Court (STF) rejected an appeal filed by the MPF and upheld the decision allowing the project to continue under certain conditions, although the underlying dispute remains before the Federal Court.
More Than a Decade of Delays
The terminal's implementation has been under discussion for more than 15 years and has had several construction start dates that were never met. According to Porto & Navios, DTA Engenharia intends to begin construction in Maricá in January 2027, in a project that has faced resistance over environmental impact concerns since 2011.
Antaq to Monitor New Schedule
The possibility of an extension does not exempt DTA Engenharia from liability for previous contractual breaches: in February 2026, Antaq had upheld a decision regarding the failure to start operations within the contractual deadline, through Ruling No. 61/2026, which rejected an appeal filed by the company. In its most recent decision, the agency determined that the Supervision Superintendency should monitor the execution of the revised schedule and take action in case of non-compliance, and that the case be forwarded to the Ministry of Ports and Airports, responsible for the granting authority over private terminals.
