The Brazilian federal government will hold the auction for the Tecon-10 megaterminal at the Port of Santos during the second half of 2026 [1].
This move follows a period of regulatory friction and geopolitical tension. The terminal is a critical piece of infrastructure in São Paulo, and the competition for its control involves both domestic oversight and international strategic interests.
Minister of Ports and Airports Silvio Costa Filho confirmed the timeline for the bidding process. The delay follows a request by the federal government on April 24, 2026 [2], to suspend the initial bidding process to improve the concession model and re-evaluate participation rules.
Internal disagreements between the government, the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), and the National Agency for Waterway Transport (Antaq) led to the current review. The administration aims to ensure greater competitiveness and a more robust legal framework before the auction proceeds [3].
"The auction of the Tecon Santos 10 megaterminal, in the Port of Santos, will be left for the second half of this year," Costa Filho said [1].
While the government has expressed support for an auction without restrictions on participants [4], the process has drawn scrutiny from foreign diplomats. Kevin Murakami, the U.S. consul-general in São Paulo, said that the United States has specific concerns regarding the outcome.
"It would not be in Washington's interest for a Chinese company to win the auction of the Tecon 10 megaterminal," Murakami said [4].
Despite these external pressures, sources close to the TCU suggest that the federal government is likely to follow the court's recommendations in full to ensure the legality and transparency of the process [4]. The final modeling of the concession will determine how many participants can bid and what restrictions, if any, will be applied to foreign entities [3].
“The auction of the Tecon Santos 10 megaterminal, in the Port of Santos, will be left for the second half of this year.”
The Tecon-10 auction is evolving from a standard infrastructure concession into a geopolitical flashpoint. By revising the rules and delaying the timeline, the Brazilian government is attempting to balance the need for high-value investment with the diplomatic pressure from the U.S. to limit Chinese influence over critical logistics hubs in South America.
