Organizations Sign Manifesto Against Port of Itajaí Current Inaction

A manifesto signed by eight port organizations based in Itajaí was sent last February 16 to the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, to the National Secretary of Ports and Waterborne Transportation, Alex Sando de Ávila, in addition to the directors of the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq), and to the mayor of Itajaí, Volnei Morastoni, demanding action against Mada Araújo Ltda., winner of the temporary port leasing contract, for not qualifying in due time as a port operator.

The deadline expired on Thursday, February 15, and the company did not pre-qualify as a port operator with the Port Work Labor Management Agency at the Port of Itajaí (Ogmo) or with the Itajaí Port Superintendence.

The union leader Ernando João Alves Junior, on top of spearheading the manifesto, also sent a message directly to the minister demanding solutions to avoid legal uncertainty and non-compliance with deadlines. “Mada did not pre-qualify as a port operator within the 60 days, as it should according to the temporary leasing contract. There are mounting concerns regarding the actual start of operations at the port. The company also did not apply for customs clearance with the Federal Revenue Service. Its CEO told the press that operations would start in May, information that conflicts with the projections of the Ministry of Ports and Antaq,” Ernando wrote.

In addition to not pre-qualifying as a port operator, there is no confirmation whether Mada submitted a Basic Implementation Plan (PBI) by the deadline set on February 15, after a month-long extension.

In the manifesto sent to the authorities, the organizations warned that berths 1 and 2 at the Port of Itajaí have not received ships since December 2022. “We are entering the second year without container traffic in our port. The temporary leasing does not prove effective (…), and so far, five months later, there is still no forecast for cargo activity,” they denounce.

Moreover, the manifesto recalls that, in November 2023, Mada’s CEO, Marco Antônio Araújo, assured that operations would return by March, but the deadline was not met and postponed to May, as announced to the press.

In the document, the group also recalls that the port complex can no longer count on the shipowner CMA CGM. The weekly service was operated by Portonave, but as of February, it has been transferred to the Port of Imbituba, which “demonstrates that the company Mada Araújo, contrary to what has been announced, has no contact with any major shipowners.”

Requests to the federal government

Faced with uncertainties, the manifesto’s signatories made four requests to the Ministry and Antaq. Check them out:

1 – Mada Araújo must expedite the procedures for the resumption of containerized cargo movement.

2 – Until Mada Araújo begins operations, the Port Authority should be granted permission to extend customs clearance of berths 3 and 4 to berths 1 and 2, as well as permission to use all equipment installed in the extended berths for other port operators. These berths are to be considered public areas and can be used by any type of ship, general cargo, or full container.

3 – The final tender should provide for the port’s expansion with new berths for general cargo, new leases with the acquisition of new areas, access/routes, and parking.

4 – The municipality of Itajaí, through the Port Superintendence, should promote all necessary procedures for the expansion of the port polygon, with new quay areas and yards for general cargo operations and passenger ship operations.

Who may take over operations?

It is still unknown who may take over operations if Mada Araújo does not meet the deadlines stipulated in the temporary leasing contract. Antaq has the final say on this issue. It can either annul the entire temporary process or call the third-place bidder.

If Antaq chooses to call the next-place finisher in the bidding process, Teconnave, which made the third-highest minimum container movement proposal, with a bid of 35,000 TEUs per month, will be called the take over the role of port operator. Mada was the second-best proposal after MMS Empreendimentos was disqualified for failing to prove the capacity to fulfill the proposed movement.

Source: Diarinho

Click here to read the original news piece: https://diarinho.net/materia/650926/Entidades-fazem-manifesto-contra-a-paralisacao-do-porto-de-Itajai–

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