National Waterway Transport Agency may grant exceptional authorizations for companies to operate on Amazon rivers
THE Antaq (National Waterway Transportation Agency) is evaluating new actions to ensure the continuity of transportation logistics in the Amazon in the face of the worst drought in history. Poder360 found that the regulatory agency can grant exceptional authorizations for companies to operate in the region.
The logic is to repeat some actions taken by Antaq in the case of the floods in Rio Grande do Sul, when the agency relaxed procedures for adjusting fleets and operational schemes. With the projection that the drought could worsen throughout September and October, Antaq is preparing to try to mitigate the effects of the drought.
Antaq has already approved exceptional measures for operations in the region. The agency has allowed the temporary adaptation of terminals and the creation of support bases. Based on these actions, the agency expects that it will be possible to maintain the movement of fuels and containers to supply Amazonian cities.
Antaq also relaxed the regulation of the chartering of foreign vessels to operate in cabotage navigation – navigation between ports.
As shown by the Poder360the government is concerned about the supply of fuel and gas in Manaus. The Ministry of Ports and Airports estimates that the drought will prevent ships carrying LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) from Urucu (AM) to the capital of Amazonas from crossing.
One solution that has been studied is to transport the stretches where the water is lower by barge. To do this, it is necessary to hire smaller vessels to carry out the operation.
In addition to gas, the arrival of containers bound for the capital of Amazonas is also a source of concern for the government. For the same reason, larger ships will not be able to cross the rivers and the cargo will have to be dispersed among smaller vessels.
The solution being studied for this case is to install a vessel equipped with a crane to unload the cargo onto a smaller carrier in the section that the larger ship cannot cross. This will also reduce efficiency and increase logistics costs in the region.
#Antaq #evaluates #actions #drought #Amazon #region