Rio Grande do Sul advances 510 km waterway concession project

Rio Grande do Sul is advancing a major logistics project involving the concession of the Integrated Waterway System of the South and Lagoa Mirim (SAIP Sul-Mirim). A public hearing is scheduled for October 7 in Rio Grande to discuss the proposal, which covers approximately 510 kilometers of navigable waterways.

Managed by the National Agency for Waterway Transportation (Antaq), the project is described by the federal government as Brazil’s first integrated waterway concession. The contract is expected to have an initial term of 25 years and involves an estimated R$ 134 million in initial investments. These funds are intended for hydrographic studies, dredging, traffic management systems, and infrastructure modernization.

The concession aims to provide a more predictable alternative for cargo transport, reducing heavy reliance on highways. The system includes access waterways to the ports of Rio Grande, Pelotas, and Porto Alegre, as well as sections of Lagoa dos Patos, Lago Guaíba, and the Jacuí, Caí, Sinos, and Gravataí rivers.