Brazil has resolved a legal impasse regarding the submerged tunnel project linking the cities of Santos and Guarujá [1].
The resolution allows the federal government to release critical funding for a project viewed as strategic for regional logistics and mobility in the state of São Paulo [2].
Tomé Franca, the minister of Ports and Airports, announced the development on Wednesday [1]. He said that the project is now moving forward. "The tunnel was announced and it will come off the paper," Franca said [1].
The project had been stalled due to restrictions from the Tribunal de Contas da União (TCU), Brazil's federal audit court. The court's decision to revoke those restrictions clears the way for federal financial contributions [2].
Reports on the exact amount of the federal contribution vary slightly. One source lists the released federal contribution at R$ 2.6 billion [2], while another cites a loan agreement between the federal government and the state of São Paulo for R$ 2.57 billion [3].
The removal of the TCU restriction eliminates the primary barrier to the project's financing. This legal clearance ensures that the necessary capital can be deployed to initiate the engineering and construction phases [2].
According to the ministry, construction is now scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2027 [1]. The tunnel will provide a direct submerged link between the two coastal cities, reducing reliance on existing ferry services, and improving the flow of goods and people across the channel [2].
“"The tunnel was announced and it will come off the paper,"”
The removal of the TCU's restrictions signals a shift from planning to execution for one of Brazil's most complex infrastructure projects. By securing federal funding of approximately R$ 2.6 billion, the government is prioritizing the logistics of the Santos port region, which is vital for national exports. The project's success depends on meeting the 2027 construction timeline and managing the technical challenges of a submerged tunnel.
