ANTAQ publishes report on cabotage

A study developed by Brazil’s ANTAQ waterways authority has found that protectionist restrictions to cabotage occur all over the world. The study was conducted by the Management of Development and Studies (GDE), part of ANTAQ’s Superintendence of Performance, Development and Sustainability (SDS). It aims to foster regulatory options to increase competition in container transportation in cabotage. The study found that restrictions on cabotage exist in all the geographical regions of the globe and in states with different political, economic and legal systems. Such restrictions mainly refer to the entry of foreign-flagged ships and the ownership and registration of foreign ships.

According to the agency, cabotage protectionism exists along the coasts in about 80% of the world (comparing the coastlines of nations with cabotage with the coastlines of nations without cabotage) and in 70% of the member states of the Maritime Organization Council International (International Maritime Organization – IMO).

The study found that Brazil is among the countries that exercise policies that protect the maritime cabotage industry. However it also allows the entry of foreign shipowners under controlled conditions. This also occurs in France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Russia, India, Canada, Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, among others.

Another finding is that countries with similar coastlines to Brazil and able to develop an effective coastal navigation system have, to some degree, measures which protect their coastal navigation. Some of these countries are: Turkey, India, Italy, Mexico, China, Greece, the United States, Japan, Russia and Canada.

The study also presents an extensive bibliography review, which summarizes the main reasons cited by countries for adopting protectionist or liberalizing measures on cabotage shipping.

The full version of the study will be available soon on the ANTAQ website.

Sharing is caring!