Ports Ministry Outlines Recovery Measures for Flood-Impacted Rio Grande do Sul

Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) unveiled a series of measures aimed at assessing damages and formulating investment strategies to expedite the resumption of operations across ports, airports, and waterways in Rio Grande do Sul. In a pivotal meeting convened on Monday (6), the Ministry engaged key stakeholders including Fraport Brasil S.A., concessionaire of Salgado Filho International Airport, the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac), the Brazilian Association of Airlines (Abear), Infraero, ABR Aeroportos do Brasil, the National Waterborne Transport Agency (Antaq), and representatives from the Superintendence of Ports and Waterways of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Portos RS).

In terms of aviation, some priority actions were designed to facilitate service restoration, including:

1. Ensuring the security of Porto Alegre Airport;
2. Conducting assessments of airport infrastructure damage;
3. Formulating a logistics strategy for critical inputs such as fuel, water, medicines, and food;
4. Deployment of Infraero personnel to support airport operations;
5. Presenting an air network expansion plan for Rio Grande do Sul within a 24-hour timeframe.

Silvio Costa Filho, Minister of Ports and Airports, underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to mitigating flooding impacts and extending aid to affected residents. “President Lula is steadfast in allocating investments to ports, bolstering airport infrastructure, enhancing investments in highways and state roads, all while maintaining pivotal dialogue between the federal government, state authorities, the National Congress, and the Judiciary. Unity is imperative at this juncture. Brazil must stand united in aiding the people of Rio Grande do Sul,” he emphasized.

The Federal Government, in collaboration with airlines and Fraport Brasil, is diligently working to reinstate airport operations. To minimize disruptions in the state’s air network, Anac and Abear are tasked with presenting an essential air network plan for Rio Grande do Sul, aimed at restoring crucial logistical operations vital for local economic recovery.

Port Status Update

Furthermore, the Ministry of Ports and Airports convened a meeting with port authorities overseeing operations in Rio Grande do Sul to assess current impacts. Portos RS reported implementing measures to mitigate flooding effects on operations and local communities. Despite these efforts, operations at the Port of Porto Alegre remain suspended as long as the effects of the Lake Guaíba water level increase persist.

Portos RS manages the ports of Rio Grande and Pelotas, both of which remain operational. However, heightened monitoring is underway as both ports lie along the water flow route to the Atlantic Ocean, solely through the Barra do Rio Grande Jetties.

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