The infrastructure sector expressed concern about the recent decision of the federal government to revoke the decree that authorized technical studies for the concession of three waterways in the Amazon.
The measure was taken amid pressure from indigenous and environmental groups, generating negative reactions from entities such as .
Ronei Glanzmann, CEO of MoveInfraexpressed in an interview with CNN Money which the sector views with apprehension.
“We are very concerned about the way this crisis was handled. It is natural that there are discussions when a concession for a new mode such as water transport is implemented for the first time, which few people know about”, he stated.
Importance of the waterway modal for Brazil
Glanzmann highlighted that Brazil has powerful, long-course rivers that could transport national production efficiently and sustainably, but that the country is currently extremely dependent on road transport.
“Brazil today is a highway driving country. Our commodities such as soy, cotton, corn and minerals mainly use trucks to travel across the country towards ports, when they could use a less polluting mode”, he explained.
According to the executive, trucks represent more than 95% of pollutant emissions in the Brazilian transport sector. The transformation of this matrix, with greater participation of railways and waterways, would be fundamental for more sustainable development.
“A convoy of waterway barges has the capacity to take 1,700 trucks off the highways, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping to decarbonize the sector,” he highlighted.
Clarifications on the concession model
The CEO of MoveInfra made a point of clarifying that the concession program does not provide for the privatization of rivers, but rather the concession of waterway services.
“We are not talking about granting the navigable river or the national asset, which is a heritage of the Brazilian population. What we intend to grant are services such as signage, desilting, cleaning, traffic control and navigability management”, he clarified.
Glanzmann explained that, unlike the United States, which has the Mississippi waterway, or Europe, with the Rhine River, Brazil technically does not have waterways, just rivers navigated without adequate infrastructure.
The executive states that the concession program would precisely aim to organize the State’s presence in this activity, guaranteeing navigability throughout the year.
Environmental and social impacts
Regarding the , Glanzmann argued that the waterway modal is aligned with good environmental practices and that the environmental issue is meticulously evaluated in the concession process.
“There is nothing to talk about river pollution, because all this loading and unloading is done very carefully and complies with all good international practices”, he argued.
The executive also highlighted that the concession process provides for the hearing of , and that there are operational, regulatory and public policy solutions to meet their demands.
“What Brazil cannot do is stop this program that is so important for the country’s development”, he concluded.
