The Government of São Paulo signed the Waterway Crossings PPP contract with the Acqua Vias SP consortium in São Paulo, granting the group responsibility for modernizing and operating the state’s ferry crossing system under a 20-year concession agreement. 

The project, developed by the State Secretariat for Investment Partnerships (SPI) in partnership with the Secretariat for Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics (Semil), provides for the modernization of 14 waterway transport lines in different regions of the state, with investments of approximately R$ 2.5 billion (US$496 million). The concession will enable the complete renewal of the infrastructure and fleet serving millions of São Paulo residents and represents a boost to the economic development of the regions covered. The modernization of services will facilitate transportation, promote tourism, and strengthen the local economies of major cities along the São Paulo coastline, in the São Paulo metropolitan region, and in the Paraíba Valley.

Acqua Vias SP will be responsible for 14 crossing lines, benefiting 11 million passengers and 10 million vehicles served by the system annually. During the 20-year concession period, 45 new vessels are expected to be acquired, most of them fully electric, which is projected to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 18,000 tons per year. The project also includes improvements focused on user comfort, such as the renovation, air conditioning, and expansion of terminals, with an emphasis on accessibility, food areas, and customer service facilities. The plan also includes the implementation of new maintenance workshops, operational control centers, automated fare collection booths, and advanced automation and safety systems. The 14 lines receiving investments are located in three regions of the state:

• Coastal Region: São Sebastião–Ilhabela, Santos–Guarujá, Santos–Vicente de Carvalho, Bertioga–Guarujá, Cananéia–Ilha Comprida, Cananéia–Mainland, Iguape–Juréia, Cananéia–Ariri.
• São Paulo Metropolitan Region: João Basso–Riacho Grande, Bororé–Grajaú, Taquacetuba–Bororé.
• Paraibuna Region (Paraíba Valley): Porto Varginha, Porto Paraitinga, Porto Natividade da Serra.

The Government of the State of São Paulo received the international Blue Dot Network (BDN) certification for the Waterway Crossings PPP project, highlighting the initiative as a global benchmark for infrastructure with high standards of sustainability and socio-environmental impact. The award was presented during OECD InfraDays 2026: Infrastructure Governance and the Blue Dot, held at the Conference Center of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).