MPor and Antaq to assess feasibility of access channel concession in the Amazon River

On Monday (February 5), Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) and the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq) received a Technical, Economic, Financial, and Environmental Feasibility Study (EVTEA) from the Association of Private Port Terminals (ATP) for the concession of the access channel of the Northern Bar of the Amazon River.

The Amazon River Waterway is a crucial logistical corridor for the export of commodities in bulk and is one of the six priority projects outlined in the General Waterway Concession Plan, drafted by Antaq and approved by MPor in 2023.

Following the agreement, Minister Silvio Costa Filho called it a historic moment for both the country and its waterways. “This EVTEA carries great symbolism because it is aligned with the moment we are experiencing in this ministry. It is the first time in the history of this country that we will have a National Waterways Secretariat. Now, we truly aim to have a strategic plan for Brazil with this waterway agenda,” he stated.

Costa Filho also addressed the country’s historical debt to this vital economic sector. “Today, Brazil has 19,000 kilometers of navigable waterways, with a potential of 42,000 kilometers, possibly reaching 50,000 kilometers, and historical debt to the waterway transportation mode and its potential. We all know the benefits that waterways bring to Brazil, including reduced operating costs, greater environmental harmony, and increased competitiveness in the export and import side,” he reiterated.

Waterway Agenda

According to Silvio Costa Filho, the ministry has three programs in the works, with investments totaling over 500 million throughout 2024. “Our goal for the next three years is to establish 60 IP4s [Small Public Port Installations], as we recognize their importance to the region. We hope to make further progress with these installations.”

He further explained that to expand this mode of transportation, the government hopes that public-private partnership projects can flourish and, “from there, through the Merchant Marine Fund, invite private partners to invest more.”

Next Steps

After receiving the studies from ATP, a working group consisting of personnel from MPor, Antaq, the National Department of Transportation Infrastructure (Dnit), the Brazilian Navy, and Infra S.A. will assess the feasibility of the presented project, then initiate the concession of the access channel.

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