Brazil Transfers Management of São Francisco River Waterway to Codeba for 25 Years
Cubierto por 3 fuentesPublicado
- jornal portuarioGoverno transfere gestão da Hidrovia do São Francisco para a Codeba por 25 anos
- ports news rusiaBrazil hands port operator Codeba 25-year control of São Francisco waterway
- jornal portuarioCodeba assume gestão da Hidrovia do São Francisco por 25 anos
- agencia infraAcordo com a Codeba prevê R$ 300 mi em investimentos no São Francisco
Brazil's Ministry of Ports and Airports and the Government of Bahia signed an administrative decentralization agreement for the São Francisco River Waterway, identified as HN-500, this Wednesday, November 4, in Brasília. The measure, signed by Minister Tomé Franca and Governor Jerônimo Rodrigues, transfers management of the waterway for 25 years to Companhia das Docas do Estado da Bahia (Codeba), which will take over operation, maintenance and structural upkeep of the corridor, as well as control of the Sobradinho Lock and small public port facilities.
The agreement covers 15 small port facilities located in Bahia, Pernambuco and Alagoas, and spans a navigable stretch of 1,371 kilometers -according to Jornal Portuario and Ports News- or approximately 1,400 kilometers, according to Agência iNFRA, between Pirapora, in Minas Gerais, and the hub formed by Juazeiro, in Bahia, and Petrolina, in Pernambuco. Management of the waterway had previously been under DNIT, which will have up to 90 days to transfer related contracts and will continue overseeing the agreement, while ownership of the assets will remain public.
Investment Plan
The agreement provides for an investment plan of R$300 million starting in 2027, to be carried out over the first six years in three stages by section: the first covering 300 kilometers, the second 600 kilometers, and the third the remaining 500 kilometers. The next step will be the contracting of a Technical, Economic and Environmental Feasibility Study (EVTEA) to guide the works. Minister Tomé Franca indicated that the initial intention is to fund the interventions with Codeba's own resources, although he did not rule out a future concession to the private sector, in line with the models planned for the Madeira, Tapajós and Paraguay river waterways.
Cargo Projections
Codeba's president, Antonio Gobbo, projected cargo handling of five million tons as early as the first year of operation, and the company has 12 cargo vessels with a capacity of 700 tons each, in addition to two river tugboats and two harbor tugboats for the resumption of navigation. According to Ports News, authorities estimate that some 11.5 million people could benefit from the project. Among the cargoes with potential for movement are soybeans, corn, cottonseed, gypsum, limestone, animal feed, biofuels and sugar, while the transport of fresh fruit would require specific vessels.
Minister Tomé Franca stated that improving year-round navigability conditions, including during low-water periods thanks to dredging, could spur investment in new vessels and expand the use of waterborne transport, with the aim of reducing dependence on road routes. Governor Jerônimo Rodrigues expects the first interventions to begin in the second half of 2027. Franca clarified that the delegation to Codeba was a solution specific to this case and that, while there are no plans for similar transfers at this time, the model could be considered for other waterways in the future.
