The Government of São Paulo, through the Secretariat for Investment Partnerships (SPI), announces that the Acqua Vias SP consortium has been declared the winner of the Waterway Crossings Public-Private Partnership (PPP). 

With this award, the bidding process has been formally completed, allowing the consortium to proceed with the remaining steps required to finalize the contract, which is expected to be executed in early 2026. The Acqua Vias SP consortium is made up of BK Consultoria e Serviços, Internacional Marítima, Rodonave Navegações, Zetta Infraestrutura e Participações, and Innovia Soluções Inteligentes. Under the 20-year public-private partnership agreement, the project encompasses the procurement of more than 40 new vessels—most of them fully electric—as well as significant investments in the modernization and expansion of 20 ferry terminals throughout the State of São Paulo. The scope of works also includes the development of new maintenance facilities, operational control centers, automated fare collection systems, and advanced automation and safety technologies. The Waterway Crossings PPP became the first project in Brazil to receive the international Blue Dot Network certification, granted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The seal recognized the project’s alignment with the highest standards of governance, environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

During the initial three months, the Secretariat for Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics (Semil) will continue to handle operations through a transitional collaboration with the concessionaire, who will take over full responsibility for management from the seventh month onward. The investment program will roll out in phases, encompassing the building of additional vessels and the upgrading of terminal facilities. Per the contract timeline, all ferry routes are projected to reach maximum operational capacity by the conclusion of the seventh year, with construction fully finished and the entire electric vessel fleet in service. The waterway routes included in the PPP are São Sebastião–Ilhabela; Santos–Vicente de Carvalho; Santos–Guarujá; Bertioga–Guarujá; Cananéia–Continente; Cananéia–Ilha Comprida; Cananéia–Ariri; Iguape–Juréia; Bororé–Grajaú; Taquacetuba–Bororé and João Basso–Taquacetuba; Porto Paraitinga; Porto Varginha; and Porto Natividade da Serra.