Simpar, the holding company that controls the brands JSL, Movida, Vamos, Atomob, CS Infra, CS Brasil and BBC, announced this Thursday, July 23, the sale of 100% of its operation in the port of Aratu, in Bahia, to ICTSI Americas.
The total value of the transaction was R$ 1.8 billion, comprising R$ 750 million in equity value and approximately R$ 1 billion in net debt. Of the amount paid to shareholders, R$ 650 million will be paid upon closing, and R$ 100 million within 18 months as an earn-out .
The CS Porto Aratu complex includes terminals ATU12 and ATU18, which together have an operational handling capacity of 9.5 million tons per year (6 million tons and two berths at ATU12; and 3.5 million tons at ATU18).
The company operates with bulk solid and mineral cargoes, such as corn, soybeans, sorghum, fertilizers, and other inputs for production chains.
According to Simpar, investments made with its own capital in the terminals reach R$ 128 million, representing a multiple of 5.8 times, over an average period of 3.6 years. In practice, the operation yielded the company almost six times the invested value.
The transaction needs to be approved by the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) and by the Bahia State Port Authority (Codeba), a federal public company linked to the Ministry of Ports and Airports.
ICTSI Americas is the regional arm of International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI), considered the world's largest independent port operator, headquartered in the Philippines.
In Brazil, Porto Aratu will be the company's third operation. The company controls Tecon Suape, in Pernambuco, which has an annual capacity of 700,000 TEUs (standard measure of a 20-foot container). The company also operates the Rio Brasil Terminal (RBT), located in the port of Rio de Janeiro.
Simpar won the concession for both terminals in an auction held in December 2020. In the case of ATU12, the concession term is 25 years, and for ATU18, 15 years, with the possibility of extension until 2091. At the time, the concession fees paid totaled R$ 62.5 million.
According to the holding company, approximately R$ 900 million was invested in the assets, including investments in operational innovation and the development of the areas themselves. In four years, operational capacity has increased fivefold.
“We have developed a strategic logistics asset for the Matopiba agricultural corridor [Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí and Bahia], already capable of operating Panamax ships and with the potential to evolve to operations with Post-Panamax ships, expanding its competitiveness and future opportunities,” says Simpar in the document.
The sale of CS Porto Aratu is another move by Simpar on the path to asset recycling and leverage reduction. In August 2025, the holding company sold Ciclus Rio, operator of a waste treatment plant, to Aegea for R$ 1.1 billion.
In April 2026, Simpar announced the sale of its 45% stake in Ciclus Amazônia, responsible for solid waste management in Belém, Pará, to Sustentare Saneamento, for R$ 121.5 million.
"This demonstrates the company's ability to scale and monetize infrastructure assets, as can be seen in the combined enterprise value of the three infrastructure companies, totaling R$ 3.9 billion, with an average internal rate of return of 36% per year, and a multiple on invested capital of 2.9 times over an average period of 3.3 years," explains Simpar in the relevant fact.
In the first quarter of 2026, the CS Portos vertical, which includes CS Porto Aratu, recorded net service revenue of R$ 42 million, a 56% increase over the same period of the previous year.
EBITDA was R$ 6.9 million, compared to a negative result of R$ 3.7 million in the first quarter of 2025 and a negative result of R$ 11 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Cargo movements totaled 615,000 tons between January and March, 57% higher than the first quarter of last year.
In its consolidated results, Simpar reported net revenue of R$ 11 billion in the quarter, a 6.1% increase. However, the company posted a net loss of R$ 13.3 million, compared to a net profit of R$ 7.7 million in the first quarter of 2025. Leverage is 3 times the net debt to EBITDA ratio.
The second-quarter earnings report will be released on August 14th. When contacted by NeoFeed , the company stated it would not comment on the transaction.
In the accumulated total for 2026, Simpar's shares on the B3 stock exchange registered a 42.8% increase. Over 12 months, the appreciation is 77%. Simpar has a market value of R$ 4.3 billion.
