Brazil's Antaq (National Water Transport Authority) approves the process for the privatization of the Santos port as well as the allocation of R$4.2 billion to the construction of a submerged tunnel that will connect the cities of Santos and Guarujá.

Below is the English translation of the Port of Santos' press release in Brazilian Portuguese.

Privatization of Brazil's busiest port is very likely to be followed by a tender to get the Santos-Guarujá tunnel built. An immersed tunnel design has been chosen to connect the Santos and Guarujá in the state of São Paulo coast, about 80 km south west of the city of São Paolo. As most projects in Brazil, it has been a slow moving planning for the tunnel now I think over a decade. If the privatization of the port is rounded, it will speed up the tunnel plans.

Santos and Guarujá separated by an approx. 500 m wide entrance channel to Santos port. The aim is to link both cities via an immersed tunnel. It will be the first immersed tunnel of Brazil.

A study of Dutch consultancy company TEC-tunnel commissioned by Dersa (a road company of Government of the State of São Paulo) foresees an a fixed link with "an enclosed section of about 760 meters and approaches, all in all 1,800 m in length". The tunnel will have 2x3  lanes for road traffic and a separate tube for pedestrians and cyclists.

Santos Port Authority's notice on 12 September 2022 for the approval of the process of port privatization  you find below with my machine translation.

Port of Santos privatization process is approved by ANTAQ

Port concession will allocate more than R$6 billion in infrastructure investment - with emphasis on the construction of a submerged tunnel connecting Santos to Guarujá

Brasília, 09/12/2022 - The National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ) approved, this Monday (12), the public concession process for the Port of Santos, on the coast of São Paulo. The Ministry of Infrastructure (Minfra) will receive the documentation authorized by the Agency which, in turn, will forward it to the Federal Audit Court (TCU) for due analysis. The term of the concession contract was stipulated at 35 years, with the possibility of being extended for another five - for the purpose of economic and financial balance.

The project is being structured to provide R$6.3 billion in new investments, of which R$2.1 billion will be allocated to port infrastructure and R$4.2 billion to the construction of a submerged tunnel that will connect the cities of Santos and Guarujá. Under the “Higher Grant Value” auction, Antaq set the minimum auction value at R$3,015,367,207.17.

Port of Santos data

According to the Port of Santos Development and Zoning Plan (PDZ), presented in 2020, the local port handling profile highlights solid vegetable bulk as the main bulk cargo of the complex. There was a significant increase in pulp exports and demand for fertilizer discharge.

Furthermore, according to the PDZ, by 2040, there is a prospect of growth of almost 50% in the total capacity of the port and of 58% in the demand met, in relation to 2020. It is also estimated an increase in the movement of 45Mton to 86Mton in the rail mode and from 73.3Mton to 101Mton, for the same period.

https://www.gov.br/antaq/pt-br/noticias/2022/processo-de-desestatizacao-do-porto-de-santos-e-aprovado-pela-antaq