ANTAQ Approves Bidding Notice for First Container Terminal Tender in 10 Years

Brazil's National Waterway Transportation Agency (ANTAQ) approved on Thursday, October 22, the bidding notice for the MUC04 container terminal, located at the Port of Fortaleza, in the state of Ceará. This is the first container terminal tender in Brazil in more than ten years. The Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) will put the asset out to market on December 9, 2026.

The terminal, located in the Mucuripe district on an area of approximately 148,000 square meters, envisions a 25-year contract. Sources differ on the reference currency for the committed investment: Agência iNFRA and Datamar News cite approximately R$450 million, while MundoMaritimo cites about US$83 million. The goal is to raise the terminal's handling capacity to a minimum of 360,000 TEUs per year. Committed works include the addition of three mobile harbor cranes, six reach stackers, and 1,000 reefer plugs for refrigerated containers.

During the session, ANTAQ's board discussed whether to restrict participation by companies already operating in Ceará's port market, particularly APM Terminals, which provides container handling services at the nearby Port of Pecém, just over 60 kilometers from Fortaleza, although there it is not a terminal concessionaire but a service provider. The rapporteur director, Lima Filho, argued that no restrictions needed to be imposed and that any competition issues could be addressed later through ex post measures. The director general, Frederico Dias, called the issue raised relevant and noted that the agency should examine this matter further in future port terminal tenders. Ultimately, the board decided not to include participation restrictions in this process.

Approval of the bidding notice came after the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) authorized the project's continuation in September, subject to changes in its technical and financial structuring. During 2025, the Port of Fortaleza handled approximately 99,000 TEUs through facilities operated under transitional agreements.

At the same meeting, the board approved the opening of public consultations for two other port leases in Brazil: RDJ10, a terminal for non-containerized general cargo at the Port of Rio de Janeiro, and MUC03, for dry bulk handling, also in Fortaleza. On the other hand, the process for VDC29, a new grain terminal at the Port of Vila do Conde (PA) with estimated investments of nearly R$1 billion, was postponed again at the request of director Alber Vasconcelos, amid a debate over the current grain handling market at that port.