The National Dredging Program II is expected to attract about R$ 4,7 billion in investments in 2014 and 2015 for dredging in 20 Brazilian ports. The first contract will be signed at the Port of Santos, after the Ports Secretariat finalize the public bidding process that began in May,2014.

The dredging works demanded will be contracted on result-based method by Secretariat for Ports (SEP/PR), whose main characteristics are:

• aim to ensure the effectively of the investments;
• sign contracts that may contemplate more than one port or harbor and other services like Aids to Navigation and Buoyage and Environmental monitoring in order to keep depth and navigation security conditions;
• consolidate Brazil as an attractive dredging market and also increase competition among companies.

Click here to understand about the National Dredging Program II program.

Click here to know the bidding forecast.

Complementary to the Logistics Investment Program (PIL), the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) includes provisions for maintenance, rehabilitation and expansion projects of terrestrial and maritime port infrastructure, as well as enhanced logistical efficiency in Brazilian ports. Altogether, the PAC has planned investments of about R$ 7.5 billion in ports.

The port logistics and management actions are aimed at optimizing the movement of vessels, vehicles and cargo in ports, allowing for a 25% reduction in waiting times and enabling better utilization of existing berth infrastructure and handling equipment, thus increasing Brazil's port capacity.

The National Dredging Program (PND) is part of the ports component of the Logistics Investment Program (PIL-Portos). It includes works for the deepening and subsequent maintenance of the depths reached in the access channels, turning basins (area reserved for the necessary upgrades to the docking and undocking area for ships in the port) and also enhancements to the berths (space on the quay where the ship can moor to safely operate, load and unload cargo). The PND works through long-term contracts and includes the possibility of contracting in blocks rather than individual projects to ensure gains from scale.

The Ports Secretariat of the Presidency is the official responsible party for the PND and the bidding processes, which includes opening public consultation on the Terms of Reference and the publication of the bid notices for the projects to be tendered. The bid notices include the rules and procedures for the participation of companies in the undertakings under bid, as well as the final provisions applicable to the deepening and maintenance dredging activities on offer.

For more information about the dredging program, click here.

For more information about port works included in the PAC, click here.  (In Portuguese)