The Acqua Vias SP consortium was declared the winner of the public-private partnership (PPP) auction for São Paulo’s Water Crossings System, held by the state government this Thursday (13) at the B3 Stock Exchange headquarters in São Paulo. The consortium offered a 12.63% discount on the reference value of the bid, which had an estimated average annual consideration of R$ 461.18 million, outperforming three other competitors.
“With today’s auction, we’ve reached R$ 373 billion in contracted investments. This means improved logistics and safety, but also job creation. These are real jobs — people working in construction, shipyards, and vessel manufacturing. Citizens will experience faster, quieter, and more sustainable transport services. We’re setting an example,” said Governor Tarcísio de Freitas.
With an estimated R$ 2.5 billion in investments, the PPP is part of the São Paulo State Investment Partnerships Program (PPI-SP) and will modernize and expand 14 ferry lines along the São Paulo coast, in the metropolitan region, and in the Paraíba Valley. The system serves 11 million passengers and 10 million vehicles annually.
The Acqua Vias SP consortium is formed by BK Consultoria e Serviços, Internacional Marítima, Rodonave Navegações, Zetta Infraestrutura e Participações, and Innovia Soluções Inteligentes. Three other bidders also submitted proposals: the Travessias SP Consortium, Comporte Participações S/A, and CS Infra S.A.
Bidding results:
- Travessias SP Consortium (formed by CLD Construtora, Biancar Serviços e Locações, Camila Navegação Transporte, Engemais Empreendimentos e Participações, F. Andrei Neto, and Raff Geração e Comércio de Energia Elétrica): 8.10% discount
- Comporte Participações S/A: 2.53% discount
- CS Infra S.A.: 5.53% discount
The 20-year contract foresees the acquisition of more than 40 new vessels, most of them fully electric. The investment will also cover upgrades and expansions of 20 terminals, new maintenance facilities, operational control centers, automated payment booths, and advanced automation and safety systems.
“This is a great day for São Paulo’s waterway transport sector. Congratulations to the government for partnering with the private sector to build one of the most comfortable, safe, and sustainable transport systems in the world,” said César Uzeda, CEO of Zetta Infraestrutura, representing the winning consortium during the auction’s closing.
The modernization effort will reduce up to 18,000 tons of CO₂ emissions per year, making the project one of the largest decarbonization programs for water transport in Brazil.
During its structuring phase, the Water Crossings PPP became the first project in Brazil to receive the Blue Dot Network certification, granted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The seal recognizes the project’s compliance with the highest standards of governance, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility.
“This is a project that starts off already internationally recognized. That’s very significant because it puts into practice everything we’ve been working toward — a resilient and truly sustainable infrastructure. Much is said about sustainability, and São Paulo is delivering real environmental action. It’s no coincidence that we earned this certification from the OECD,” said Natália Resende, Secretary for Environment, Infrastructure, and Logistics (Semil).
“The most important aspect is the social impact this project will have. We’ll triple transport capacity, eliminate a major bottleneck, and directly benefit users with a more efficient, comfortable, and environmentally responsible service. It will also be a strong driver of sustainable development in the regions served,” said Rafael Benini, Secretary for Partnerships and Investments.
Next steps
With the auction completed, the São Paulo state government will now begin the formal adjudication and ratification process, which officially confirms the winning consortium and validates the procedure. After these phases, the contract signing process will begin, scheduled for the first half of 2026. The operational transition phase will start soon afterward.
During this period, Semil will continue managing operations for the first three months, in cooperation with the concessionaire, which will assume full responsibility by the seventh month.
The investment plan will be implemented gradually, covering vessel manufacturing and terminal modernization. According to the contractual schedule, all crossings are expected to be operating at full capacity by the end of the seventh year, with all works completed and the electric fleet fully operational.
Ferry routes included in the PPP:
- São Sebastião–Ilhabela
- Santos–Vicente de Carvalho
- Santos–Guarujá
- Bertioga–Guarujá
- Cananéia–Continente
- Cananéia–Ilha Comprida
- Cananéia–Ariri
- Iguape–Juréia
- Bororé–Grajaú
- Taquacetuba–Bororé
- João Basso–Taquacetuba
- Porto Paraitinga
- Porto Varginha
- Porto Natividade da Serra
Investment Partnerships Program (PPI-SP)
The PPI-SP is a state government initiative aimed at expanding investment, employment, and socioeconomic, technological, environmental, and industrial development in São Paulo.
Focusing on the areas of Highways, Mobility, Social Infrastructure, and Water/Energy, PPI-SP is implementing the largest and most comprehensive private-sector investment program in São Paulo’s history, benefiting the population and driving regional economic growth. In total, more than 30 projects have been qualified, representing an investment portfolio exceeding R$ 550 billion.