Amid the federal government's intentions to accelerate infrastructure auctions , some of the country's main logistics asset operators say that 2026 will primarily be a year of executing what they have won in recent years.
This is the case with Motiva (formerly CCR), which, after selling its portfolio of 20 airports to the Mexican company Asur for R$ 11.5 billion, is now "lighter" and can focus on highways and trains, even increasing its investments in these assets.
"It will be a year of capital expenditure between R$ 8 billion and R$ 9 billion, after R$ 8.7 billion last year," said Miguel Setas , CEO of Motiva, on Tuesday, February 10, at the BTG Pactual CEO Conference.
"If we went back four years, we were investing between R$1 billion and R$2 billion in capital expenditure. We have quadrupled the pace of investment and have many projects to deliver," he added.
Among these projects is the duplication of the Serra das Araras section of the Presidente Dutra Highway between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, whose works were brought forward by two years, according to Setas, with the first part scheduled for delivery in 2027. Another is the Sorocabana Route, in the interior of São Paulo, awarded in 2024, which foresees investments of R$ 8.8 billion.
"All of this is underway, in addition to the investments we still have in our assets in São Paulo, in the area of urban mobility, particularly in lines 8 and 9, and also in some projects that are yet to be completed," he said.
At Ecorodovias , plans include the execution of the works to duplicate the São Raimundo Bridge in Governador Valadares (MG), as well as the stretch of the BR-101 highway between Bahia and Espírito Santo, in addition to the delivery of studies for the construction of the third link from São Paulo to the Port of Santos, in the Anchieta-Imigrantes system.
According to Marcello Guidotti, CEO of Ecorodovias, these initiatives come after a strong expansion cycle, with investments in many concessions, winning seven new ones in the last seven years and tripling the number of kilometers under management.
“In recent years we've had to overcome some of the market's fear, because we were the first operators to have a multi-billion dollar capital expenditure (capex) commitment upfront, R$ 50 billion. In the last four years we have already delivered R$ 17 billion and are entering a cycle of approximately R$ 5 billion per year,” said the CEO.
"The biggest challenge for Ecorodovias was having a rapidly growing portfolio and being able to deliver consistently, fulfilling the concession contracts," added Guidotti.
The focus on deliveries is also present at Rumo, which this year is completing the first phase of the railway in Mato Grosso, with 170 kilometers, aiming to meet the demand for the outflow of agribusiness in the region, in addition to the inauguration of a new terminal in Primavera do Leste, with a capacity of 10 million tons of grains.
“This may be the most transformative milestone for us in 2026,” said Pedro Palma, CEO of Rumo. “But it will also be an important year because we have to definitively resolve the issue of the Malha Oeste railway, the return of the Malha Oeste, since it will be the first railway with a contract coming to an end.”
More auctions
These investments should occur in parallel with the federal government's intention to hold approximately 20 tenders for highways and railways. Present at the BTG Pactual event, the Minister of Transport, Renan Filho , stated that Brazil should register a total of R$ 35 billion in infrastructure investments, considering both public and private contributions.
"Brazil is at a historic high in infrastructure investment, and this will certainly mean more economic growth going forward, especially when combined with the international scenario, in which larger countries have highfiscal deficits , are spreading capital, increasing risk, and are in a war-like environment, while we have a more tranquil environment," said the minister.
The Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho , highlighted that the ministry will hold this year "the largest auction in Brazilian history" for the Tecon Santos 10 container terminal in the Port of Santos, after carrying out 25 concessions in the last three years. The bidding notice should be released in the first ten days of March.
According to him, the forecast is to end President Lula's current term with 40 concessions. "Throughout 2026, we will hold 19 auctions in the port sector," he stated.
The minister also highlighted that the government is committed to the concessions agenda. "We have major projects today. Within what has been priced by the government, there is a portfolio for 2026 with more than 80 auctions, including energy, sanitation, highways, railways, waterways, ports and airports," said Minister Costa.
