The Federal Government has canceled the auction of the STS08 terminal, located on the right bank of the Port of Santos. The area, which was to be leased to a private operator for fuel handling, will be transferred to Petrobras, which occupies the adjacent terminal (STS08A), and a request for consolidation has been made. The state-owned company is expected to present an investment plan in the coming days.
The announcement was confirmed by the Minister of Ports and Airports (MPor), Silvio Costa Filho, on Tuesday morning (4), during the federal government’s “Bom Dia, Ministro!” program, broadcast live on CanalGov’s YouTube channel.
STS08 is a strategic asset located in the liquid bulk cluster of the Santos port complex. The area covers 152,300 square meters in Alemoa, Santos, and is designated for the handling, storage, and distribution of fuels. It is the largest terminal of its kind at the port.
According to the minister, the decision was made by the Presidential Chief of Staff’s Office. “We know the importance of the terminal for fuel operations at the Port of Santos. President Lula and the Chief of Staff’s Office made a decision, supported by our ministry, that the government will take over management of STS08 to serve Petrobras with this expansion,” Costa Filho told A Tribuna.
The minister added that Petrobras is expected to present an investment plan in the coming days. “The idea is that we’ll have a package of investments at the Port of Santos, through STS08, bringing more national security, strengthening Petrobras operations, and ensuring effective investments starting in early 2026,” he explained.
He emphasized that the federal government’s decision to suspend the auction aims to “facilitate operations and strengthen liquid bulk activities at the Port of Santos.”
Background
The bidding process was being conducted by the Santos Port Authority (APS), which had planned to release the tender notice this month. After Petrobras’ request, the port authority informed the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), via an official letter, that it would now act only “in a technical and collaborative capacity.”
However, the APS noted in a statement that “the bidding project for the area was at an advanced stage of preparation, including a public call launched in December 2023,” and that it was “making adjustments to the tender notice in line with recommendations from the TCU.”
In August, the Court of Accounts ordered APS to amend the tender notice, requiring that the project’s financial model and draft contract be aligned with the completion schedule of Alemoa’s new pier — an obligation of Petrobras under lease agreement 06/2022. The goal was to avoid conflicts during the transition of liquid bulk operations.
The first tender was launched in 2021, but there were no interested parties. At the end of 2023, APS decided to open a public call instead of another tender. The result, published in March 2024, attracted six companies. Because of the high number of interested parties, APS was required to revert to a full bidding process.
STS08A
Petrobras leased the neighboring STS08A area in 2021 for liquid bulk handling and storage.
The 25-year contract includes an estimated investment of R$678 million.
In a statement, Petrobras said only that “the matter is being handled internally with the National Secretariat of Ports (SNP), the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), and the Santos Port Authority (APS).”
Connection to the PCC
On September 12, A Tribuna published a report revealing that one of the companies mentioned in Operation Carbono Oculto, launched in August against organized crime, had expressed interest in taking over the STS08 terminal. The company’s participation was approved in the public call organized by the Santos Port Authority (APS) in 2024.
Operation Carbono Oculto, carried out by a task force led by the São Paulo State Prosecutor’s Office (MPSP), investigates companies allegedly used by the criminal group Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) for money laundering, tax evasion, and other fraud schemes. The public call was not pursued by APS because five other companies also expressed interest, forcing the port authority to launch a formal tender process.
Source: A Tribuna
