BRASÍLIA: Brazil’s Ports Minister, Helder Barbalho, has resigned from the government of President Dilma Rousseff, who is currently under threat of impeachment. Mr Barbalho was appointed earlier this year with a remit to boost confidence in the country’s port terminal privatisation process.
In particular, he was entrusted with persuading more private sector operators to bid for new terminal concessions. In addition, he had the backing to bring in new technology, expand existing terminals and, above all, offer new concessions to the market.
A total of $15bn in new investment was forecast to be needed by Brazil up to 2042. Nevertheless, he may well have been facing an upward task. An earlier round of concessions had not only generated less interest than anticipated, but bids had also been much lower. This, in part, accounted for the removal of his predecessor.
