Brazil’s Merchant Marine Fund allocates R$4.6 billion to projects in the North in 2025

Projects prioritized for Brazil’s Northern Region in 2025 will receive a total of R$4.6 billion (around US$900 million) from the Merchant Marine Fund (Fundo da Marinha Mercante – FMM). The funding covers 524 initiatives approved in the states of Amazonas and Pará, both located in northern Brazil and heavily reliant on river transport. The projects include vessel construction and modernization, the development and upgrading of port terminals, as well as docking and repair activities, strengthening inland navigation and the region’s waterborne infrastructure.

The investments have the potential to generate 23,774 direct jobs, supporting regional economic development and the sustainability of Brazil’s shipbuilding and maritime services industry, particularly in areas where river navigation is essential for transport, mobility, and territorial integration.

According to Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, FMM investments are part of a broader federal strategy to improve logistics efficiency and foster regional development. “The Fund is a central instrument of public policy for the waterway sector. By prioritizing investments in the North, we are strengthening inland navigation, expanding logistics capacity, and promoting economic development with job creation and regional integration in a strategic area for Brazil,” the minister said.

Pará leads in approved projects

In the state of Pará, which hosts key river and coastal gateways in northern Brazil, the FMM has prioritized R$3.7 billion for 430 projects, with the potential to create 20,613 direct jobs. Beneficiary companies include Kanoé Brasil Hidrovias, Mobile Port Logística e Navegação, Navegações Unidas Tapajós, Plataforma Logística do Amapá, LHG Logística, Wilson Sons Serviços Marítimos, and Navegação Guarita.

The approved projects in Pará range from vessel construction and modernization to the development and expansion of port terminals, as well as docking and repair operations, reinforcing the state’s role as a major logistics hub for agricultural and mineral flows in the Amazon region.

Focus on inland navigation in Amazonas

In Amazonas, home to Manaus and an extensive network of navigable rivers, the Merchant Marine Fund has prioritized R$858.9 million across 94 projects, with an estimated creation of 3,161 direct jobs. These initiatives are mainly focused on the construction of vessels for inland navigation and port support services.

Companies set to benefit include Edlopes Transportes, LHG Logística, CT Log Transportes, Navegação Cunha, Companhia de Navegação da Amazônia (CNA), and Corrêa & Santos. The investments are expected to boost river logistics infrastructure and reinforce the strategic role of inland waterways in the regional economy.

By publishing region-specific FMM data, Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports aims to enhance transparency in public policy while highlighting the impact of these investments on expanding waterway infrastructure, job creation, and the sustainable development of the country’s Northern Region.

Source: Ministério dos Portos e Aeroportos

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