Privatization would increase the commercial potential of the Port of Santos, says professor

The privatization of the Port of Santos would bring benefits and correct historical shortcomings, in the view of FGV economics professor Joelson Sampaio.

This week, the governor of São Paulo Tarcísio de Freitas and president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had a meeting to discuss the subject.

The flag is defended by Tarcísio, but encounters resistance from the federal government.

“We have a scenario today of lack of investment, which is already very old. There is a lot of commercial potential in the Port of Santos, but, today, there is a low level of services and low installed potential”, said the economist to CNN Radio .

This issue affects, according to Joelson, “logistics and transport infrastructure in Brazil, especially in the globalized context.”

“The privatization would bring investment that the state has not been able to make for decades, even for the budget, since there is a lack of money”, he added.

Private investment would allow, in this context, “to handle the demand for service and increase capacity both for expanding supply and productivity, in addition to more efficient logistics.”

“A modern Port of Santos will reduce costs and increase Brazil’s productivity and competitiveness in the international market, today depending on commodities to grow is bad because it is something we do not control”, he pondered.

Joelson Sampaio also believes that this scenario would contribute to the creation of more jobs: “In order to generate jobs, investment is needed, and with it comes the demand to have more people working in Porto.”

At the same time, the professor makes the reservation that not every concession is good: “The role of the State is important, regulation is essential for all the advantages to materialize”.

*Produced by Bruna Sales