Proyectos y desarrollo en las Hidrovías del norte de Brasil

The Brazilian waterway system comprises aproximately 40,000 kilometers of navigable ways. About 20,000 kilometers are navigable in natural conditions, needing only dredging and rock removal interventions, in addition to signalling and buoyage to increase security of navigation.

The vast majority of the navigable ways are located in the northern region of the country, which is not, however, the region of greater production and transportation. The northern regions are still transforming themselves into the new agriculture productive zones, specially grains, which will strongly depend on the fluvial navigation for their economic feasibility.

Aware of this situation, the government gave priority to investments in transportation infrastructure, systems integrated by multimodality in integration corridors, based on major waterways axis like the the Madeira River, Araguaia-Tocantins and San Francisco Waterways.

The Brazilian fluvial system with potential to be exploited by the waterway transportation corresponds to close to 40 thousand kilometers of waterways, of which approximately 27 thousand kilometers are currently navigable in practically natural conditions. The remaining 13 thousand kilometers are fluvial stretches with the potential of being used by navigation and that would need improvement works of a greater magnitude to establish economic and commercial conditions for the fluvial transportation.

Currently, only 8 thousand kilometers of waterways are exploited by permanent commercial navigation. The Ministry of Transportation is in charge of the maintenance of the navigation channels and of the signalling, and its regional offices are located in the great hydrographic basins. The following table presents the basins and the extension of their navigable stretches

The transportation of goods through the Brazilian waterways in the year 1997 represented 12,7 million tons. The following table shows the transportation data for the period 1995 to 1998, taking into account that the amount for the year 1998 is an estimate.

The complimentary important data refers to the distribution of cargo through the different transportation modes in Brazil. The following table shows these data according to information obtained from the GEIPOT, planning body of the Ministry of Transportation

Cargo Distribution
Million T x Km.
Transportation mode	1995		1996		1997		1998
Transportation mode	T x Km	%	T x Km	%	T x Km	%	T x Km	%
Air	1.953	0,32	2.036	0.33	1.712	0,26	2.195	0,31
Waterways	70.610	11,53	71.310	11,46	77.402	11,56	90.444	12,75
Channels	24.179	3,95	23.605	3,79	30.367	4,54	31.429	4,43
Railways	136.460	22,29	128.976	20,72	138.724	20,73	141.239	19,91
Roads	379.007	61,91	396.415	63,70	421.131	62,91	444.079	62,60
Total	612.209	100	622.342	100	669.336	100	709.386	100

According to the GEIPOT, the cargo data shows that the cargo transported in the inner waterways corresponds to values that change between 1 to 2% of the total cargo, considering that the amount of waterway transportation in the above table includes the maritime cargo

Since 1996, the government of Brazil adopted a coordinated and integrated system for the definition of public action based on the definition of macro politics national interest.

The first integrated planning effort was established by the program known as BRASIL EM ação (Brasil in action), effective from 1996 to 2000. Following that, the program was expanded and a new version was created called AVANçA BRASIL

The investment projects envisaged in this program were defined based on the understanding of the need for a harmonious and integrated action at the hands of the federal government and private initiatives. Consequently, the projects anticipate a sum of investment contributions from public and private resources, as a complimentary action for the execution of the project. The undertakings that were prioritized within the national budget were chosen, for which the application of resources would have priority.

Various undertakings were defined and grouped according to related subjects: Waterways, Roads, Ports, Railways, Natural Gas and Electric Energy, Tourism, Irrigation, Telecommunications and Social Programs.

The "Brasil em Ação" program chose five important waterway projects which were incorporated as priority in the investment plans of the federal government. The projects were: the Madeira waterway, the Tocantins-Araguaia waterway, the São Francisco waterway and thel Paraná-Tietê waterway.

The integrated action was not just limited to the cooperation of the government and private sectors. It also consisted of an inter-connection between programs and the complementary undertakings. For instance, the Tocantins-Araguaia Waterway program was complemented by road and railway improvements, integrated to the fluvial ports, so as to form a multimodal transportation corridor for cargo.

The "Brasil em Ação" program had a great effect, and most undertakings were concluded. The waterway programs suffered delays due to the demands of environmental organizations concerning the approval of environmental studies.

Following and taking into account the planning and management concept of the federal government programs adopted for the "Brasil em Ação" program, the central government decided on the expansion of national governments' actions.

The program began with the definition of a Pluriannual Plan for the period 2000/2003 and the specification of the National Budget, encompassing long term stages and projects determined by National Integration and Development Axes. The national budget for the year 2000, presented and approved by the National Congress, defines the investment projects according to what the long term Pluriannual Plan anticipated for the undertakings beginning in the year 2000. The previous unfinished "Brasil em Ação" programs were also considered for its complementation.

The National Integration and Development Axes permit to define a harmonious and sustainable development strategy for the entire national territory, regions, communities, and finally populations. Following the adopted policy, the Integration Axes concept encompasses Social Development, Economic Infrastructure, Water Resources, Information, Knowledge and Environmental aspects to define programs and actions of the public administration, coordinated with private investments.

From the Integration Axes, defined under these concepts to ensure the harmonious and sustainable development of the various regions, the interest transportation corridors were defined, seeking the integration of existing systems, improving and proposing actions taking into account the definition of transportation axes integrated amongst transportation systems.

Following the concept adopted in the previous "Brasil em Ação" program, the "Avança Brasil" program, taking into account the National Budget, adopted investments in transportation systems giving priority to waterway axes. With the objective of rationalizing expenses, the transportation axes and needs were defined by means of a complete evaluation study elaborated by GEIPOT, planning company of the Ministry of Transportation. This study is called "Strategic Development Corridors", which was concluded in July 1999.

For the budget of the year 2000, the most important waterway projects within the National Integration Axes were chosen considering the definitions of the Corridors

The Madeira River undertaking as a part of the "Avança Brasil" program arose from the importance of the already existing fluvial navigation in the region. Its main objective is to improve the navigation conditions, with trustworthiness and safety, for night and day fluvial navigation, in addition to creating an alternative transportation route in a north-south direction, as well as a transportation route for the grain production of the Center-West region of the country, the new agriculture expansion area of the country.

The Madeira River is navigable under natural conditions in a stretch of 1056 km of extension between Porto Velho port and the Amazon River. The conditions of the navigable channel allow the traffic of pushing convoys of 200 m long and 33 m of breadth, with a maximum draught in minimum waters of 2,5 meters. There is still small vessel transportation with general cargo and passenger transportation, taking into account the small possibilities of land connections in the region.

After environmental organization gave their authorization, the proposed improvements envisage the execution of rock removal from the navigable way in "short" steps, in addition to a maintenance dredging and signalling to aid navigation.

The estimated costs for the project represent 16,5 million $Reales, to be applied in two years.

As part of the transportation corridor of the Madeira-Amazonas National Development Axis, the navigation is complemented by the Amazon River until it reaches the Atlantic. It allows the integration with the terrestrial road network that begin in Porto Velho, the BR-364/070 roads that make land connections to the west until River Branco possible, and to the south towards Cuiaba and Alta Floresta, center of the grain producing regions of Mato Grosso.

Through the waterway to the north, after the Amazon and Negro rivers, it is possible to get to Manaus, free port for the manufacture of Brazilian electronic products, and to other fluvial ports such as Itacoatiara and Santarém, and more to the north, to the maritime port of Belém.

During the year 1997, 1,7 million tons of cargo were transported through the Madeira river waterway, and in 1998, transportation reached 2,2 million tons.

The cargo transported upstream (southward direction), approximately 42%, is general cargo such as foundations, construction materials and other others, in addition to trucks transporting containers (with electronic products from the foreign trade zone of Manaus, headed towards the markets of the most populated regions in Brazil), corresponding to 48%; liquid bulk (petroleum derivatives) constitute about 47%, and solid bulk, 5%.

The cargo transported downstream (northward direction), approximately 58%. is general cargo (including containers) corresponding to 59%; solid bulk (mainly soya) represents 41%.

The complementary concept of the Brasil em Ação and the present Avança Brasil programs, presupposes private participation as a part or a complement of investments. The best example for the Center-North Corridor, to be used from the Madeira and Amazon rivers, is the case of the transportation of soya from Porto Velho (in the Madeira river) to Itacoatiara (in the Amazon river).

The group of investments for the establishment of the Madeira-Amazon Corridor ascend to $US 95 million in the port terminals of Porto Velho (Madeira) for the loading of soya on fluvial convoys, and in Itacoatiara (Amazon) for the transhipment terminal for maritime ships. Private initiative holds a 67% stake, and the government holds a 43% stake, divided between the government of the state of Amazonas and the development bank of Brazil BNDES. The federal government is in charge of the infrastructure maintenance of the waterway.

The soya produced in the Sapezal regions (close to Cáceres and Cuiabá in Mato Grosso) is transported to Porto Velho through aproximately 900 km of road (BR-364). From there, the bulk is transported on fluvial convoys of up to 16000 tons (200 m long, and 33 m of breadth) by the company HERMASA, with has a fleet of 32 barges and 5 pushing tows. The fluvial stretch corresponds to about 1200 km from Porto Velho to Itacoatiara. For maritime vessels navigating through the Amazon, the course of the Atlantic to Itacoatiara corresponds to about 1100 km.

The soya transportation logistics in the Mato Grosso region is a transportation alternative for exports to Europe, for example, to Amsterdam, that is more interesting depending on the operators. The total transportation time from Brazil to Europe was reduced to six (6) days of journey (roundtrip) for maritime vessels that should arrive at Santos or Paranagua, with land transportation (roads and/or railways) from production areas to the ports. Still, according to operators, the freight economy represents a saving of approximately 20%, close to $US 22 per ton. Road freight from Sapezal to Paranagua costs approximately $US 110 per ton; but the waterway from Sapezal to Itacoatiara ascends to $US 70 per ton, quite a significant difference.

The system began operating in the year 1997, when the region already produced about 13 million tons. Approximately 321 thousand tons were transported through the waterway in that year, when operations started. During the year 1998, 553 thousand tons were moved, and the prediction for 1999 ascended to 1 million tons. Through the same system, 75 tons of fertilizer were transported upstream.

In similar conditions as the previous project, the Araguaia-Tocatins Waterway began for the same reasons. The Tocatins-Araguaia valley, specially the Araguaia, corresponds to the eastern end of the Center-North region of the country, where the new agriculture border is occurring. It has ideal conditions for agriculture, flat land, humid climate, but with controlled high temperatures, making production highly productive. Unfortunately, the region does not count with an adequate transportation infrastructure as there are no roads or railways, and also due to the difficulties for navigation.

The study to improve the Araguaia river for navigation started decades ago, with studies that even envisaged the execution of an experimental fluvial convoy, with the aim of evaluationg the operational conditions of the convoy (technical and economical), taking into account the minimun physical interventions needed in the waterway to guarantee safety and trustworthiness for transportation.

The inexistence of local transportation alternatives gave rise to the urgent need to create them, taking into account the great bulk production in the region. The Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil estimated that the potential of the region could reach 73 million tons of grains (soya, rice, and corn), representing 850 thousand jobs, of which 350 thousand would be directly involved in the activity. Meanwhile, the government opted to develop, within the Integration and Economic Development Axis of the Araguaia-Tocatins, the Center-North Transportation Corridor which has the Tocatins-Araguaia Waterway as the main transportation axis.

For the first stage, the logistic system for the operation of the corridor is complemented in the city of São Geraldo (PA), on the left bank of the Araguaia, with roads (BR-153) to Marabá, and from there with the existing Carajás Railway that reaches the port of Itaqui in São Luís (MA). The other alternative, on the right bank of the Araguaia, is the waterway that is connected in the port of Xambioá (TO) by a 300 km road to Imperatiz (MA), integrating itself with the Carajás Railway of 640 km to Itaqui. The port of Itaquí has terminals with a capacity to operate maritime vessels of up to 300.000 tons.

For the Tocatins, even in the first stage, besides the available local road connections, the navigable stretch is connected in Estreito by 200 km of the Norte-Sul Railway to Açailândia (MA), and from there by the Carajás Railway to Itaquí (MA).

The optimized dredging of the waterway evaluated a dredging of 1043 thousand cubic meters, and rock removal of 165 thousand cubic meters in the Araguaia river. The das Montes river needs a dredging of 56 thousand cubic meters and 6 thousand cubic meters of rock removal. The total amount of the investments, including the environmental mitigations, ascends to $Reales 127,3 million, for executing the first stage in two years

The convoy that was thought for the waterway is made up of four barges (each with a width of 12m, and a length of 45m), with a minimun draught of 1,50m, and a pushing tow, forming a convoy of 110 meters long and a total cargo capacity of 3000 tons.

Currently, transportation takes place at an experimental level, with the convoys of the companies that are established in the region. As it was already presented, the influence region of the waterway and of the Center-North corridor corresponds to close to 35 million hectares, with an agriculture potential of up to 73 million grains.

The estimates of economic studies anticipate the transportation of bulk, fertilizers like calcareous ones, experimentally transported rubber and possibly fuel.

The companies that still experimentally operate with minerals through the waterway estimate a possible reduction of costs of up to 43%, considering the tests done, compared to the road alternative.

An economic study of the region estimates a transportation cost in tons of $US 44,90 per ton with no return cargo, and $US 34,50 for roundtrip loaded vessels, for intermodal trucks (600 km), waterways (2600 km), and railways (600 km), for the transportation of cargo from Nova Xavantina (MT) to the port of Itaquí. For the Balsas (MA) region, the amount of $US 26,32 considers trucks (380 km), and railways (600 km).

The Tocantins-Araguai waterway project began to gain force and importance in 1995, along with Madeira, Paraná-Tietê and São Francisco Waterways.

The studies were improved and brought up to date. However, the environmental impact studies presented problems which then were corrected. As an example of what occured with the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway, starting in 1996, the project suffered from criticism and a negative campaign at the hands of the environmental NGOs, which until today, caused the seizure of the studies' legal approval procedures, interrupting public hearings.

With this delay, two navigation companies that will establish in the Araguaia, execute experimental transportation without obtaining and adequate profitable condition for the transportation operation. Presently, the company ARAGUAIANA operates in the region. It has two (2) pushing tows and four (4) barges, each one with a width of 12m, a length of 45 m, and a draught of 1,5m. The other company is called NAV-BEL, pioneer in the operation in Araguaia, and has a fleet of twenty (20) barges and four (4) pushing tows.

In 1996, the rural producers and associations of the region, taking into account the problems indicated in the environmental impact study, created the Pro Tocatins-Araguaia Waterway Committee to search for political solution alternatives for the approval problems of the reports and the execution of the necessary improvements.

The São Francisco Waterway, as an example of the Madeira Waterway, has been a traditional transportation waterway in the Northeastern region of Brazil for many years. The great transformation in the existing navigation patterns took place when the Sobradinho reservoir was built for the production of energy. The transformation of the fluvial conditions forced the modification of the ships used in the transportation of the first vessels, similar to the old Mississippi boats known in Brazil as "gaiolas".

The waterway is situated on the São Francisco Integration and Development Axis, and it makes up part of the Northeast transportation Corridor. This is a particular location because the São Francisco represents the linking "bridge" between the Transnordestino Integration Axis and the Rede Sudeste Integration Axis, more developed. The major connections occur in Pirapora by roads (BR-365 y495) and railways, with the possibility to access the maritime port of Vitoria (ES). Downstream, more to the north, is the other major connection located in Ibotirama (BA), by road (BR-242), which allows the access to the port of Salvador (BA). Then, in the port of Juazeiro (BA), through connections by trucks (BR-122 and 235 roads) and railways (511 km) you can also reach the port of Salvador (BA). On the other border, passing through the port of Petrolina (PE), once the Transnordestina Railway is concluded, it will be possible to economically reach the ports located more to the North of the country, the port of Pecém (CE) that is under construction, or the port of Suape (PE).

The navigable stretch of the São Francisco that begins upstream in the city and port of Pirapora (MG), a little below the Marias reservoir, goes on for 1371 km, passing by the Sobradino lock to the neighboring cities and ports of Juazeiro and Petrolina (PE).

The navigable stretch in free current, from Pirapora to the end of the Sobradinho reservoir, is the critical stretch. The occupation of the banks of the river, the inadequate use of the basin floor, caused throughout the years a very intense grounding phenomenon, which makes navigation difficult during low water periods, for minimum draughts varying between 1,0 and 1,2 meters.

Even though dredging maintenance takes place every year, the conditions are more critical year after year. In order to improve that situation, an emergency program for a more intense dredging and rock removal of critical passages will be executed in the waterway. The environmental studies were approved, and the work is scheduled to be carried out during the year 2000. The existing signalling is maintained, and it will be adequated to the new conditions of the navigable channel after the improvements.

The sobradinho lock has free dimensions of 120 meters long, 17m wide, and up to 4 meters of depth. The most common barges in operation measure 46m long, 8m wide, and have draughts from 1,20 to 1,7 meters, and a capacity of 240 to 450 tons, the maximum capacity of the convoy being 1800 tons.

Nevertheless, in high waters, the convoy can be of a greater capacity in the upstream stretch of the Sobradinho lock.

Two important tributaries on the left bank, Grande and Corrente, are being considered as well for improvement of navigation as feeders of the main channel. The river Grande comes close to the Barreiras region, producer of grains, mainly soya, possibly in a 350 km extension. The river Corrente, with better depths, comes close to Correntina (BA), producer of coffee, in a 155 km extension.

The total anticipated improvements sum up to close to $Reales 11 million for three years. The improvements will be carried out this year, after the approval of the environmental impact studies by the environmental organizations, and after the licence is obtained during the beginning of 1999.

Transportation through the São Francisco river is greatly variable, and the goods change. During the year 1996, 61.035 tons were transported; in 1997, 48.000 tons; and in 1998, 45.650 tons. Even though the statistics present a decrease in the transportation motivated by long periods of rain in both years, in 1999, up to 100.000 tons are expected to be transported.

In the year 1998, 19.290 tons (42,3%) of soya was moved downriver from Ibotirama to Juazeiro, 5.507 tons (12%) of chemical products was transported from Piraporato to Juazeiro, 3.991 tons (8,7%) of corn was moved from Piraporato to Juazeiro, and 670 tons (1,5%) of other cargos was transported from Barreiras to Juazeiro. 16.192 tons (35,5%) of tomato pulp was moved upstream from Juazeiro to Piraporato. This was the division of the cargo transported.

In the past, great amounts of plaster (mineral) and cotton were transported through the São Francisco. The future expected cargo refer to grains, with the possibility of an external market, minerals (plaster), fruit and irrigation agriculture products originated in Petrolina and Juazeiro. In addition, reduction of freight between the southeast and northeast regions of Brazil is the great objective of the Corridor. The Northeast region has an estimated GDP of $Reales 110 billion, higher value than in any other important countries in South America.

With that knowledge, São Francisco was incorporated to the Brasil em Ação program and maintained in the Avança Brasil program, due to the strategic north/south connection situation for these two regions. The critical situation caused by the grounding conditions and the difficulties that it created for navigation, contributed to the reduction in transportation. This is why, the emergency dredging that has already begun must proceed.

The regions of Barreiras (BA) (grain producer), Juazeiro (BA), and Petrolina (PE) with fruit agriculture and other irrigation products, and Araipina (PE), food and plaster producer, will have competitive conditions in transportation for the distribution to consumer centers in the southern part of the country.

For the soya in Barreiras, west of Bahia, the region produces close to 1 million tons from a total of 1,6 million tons of grains. Present transportation can increase significantly if the conditions of the navigable channel and the trustworthiness in the waterway are obtained. Estimates evaluate the reduction of freight through the integrated waterway/Barreiras railways system to the terminal of Aratu (Salvador, BA) compared to the road system for the same journey of approximately 22%, taking into account the freight of $Reales 45,00 for the road and $Reales 35,00 for the intermodal.

The Avança Brasil program established planning criteria in search for development conditions for the country's regions. The development conditions mean cheap transportation, cheap energy, and maintaining communications in infrastructure. Taking into account the need for development in the regions that are increasingly more distant from the consumption centers and from the export maritime ports, the experience of previous developments based on land transportation does not enable the minimum competition conditions viable for the new agricultural borders. Happily, the center and northern part of the country has a fantastic fluvial network, and in the majority of the cases, in natural conditions of economic exploitation through the fluvial transportation. Taking into account the favorable natural aspects, the national government opted to develop the great transportation axes considering the long navigable stretches, focusing on the improvement of the rest of the existing terrestrial systems, and integrating them to those great waterway and railway axes. The cited examples are the proof of the adopted alternative.

The great challenge to overcome is the environmentalist's criticism, and to effectively promote the sustainable development in equal conditions. The development of the new agricultural borders of the country, located in the "closed" parts of the central region, are feasible only if the waterway transportation is integrated to the rest. This is true for the national market as well as for exports.

The next step is to consider the connection of these regions to the heart of MERCOSUR through the Paraguay-Paraná waterway, truly integrating the Southern Cone.

Hydrographic Basins and Navigable Stretches Brazil – Year 1997
Basin	Extension (Km.)	Main Rivers and Lagoons
Amazônica	18.300	Amazonas, Solimões, Negro, Branco, Madeira, Purus, Juruá, Tapajós and Teles-Pires
Northeast	3.000	Mearim, Pindaré, Itapecuru, and Parnaíba
Tocantins-Araguaia	3.500	Tocantins, Araguaia and das Mortes
San Francisco	4.100	San Francisco, Grande, Corriente, Preto and das Velhas
East	1.000	Doce and Paraíba do Sul
Paraná	4.800	Paraná, Tietê, Paranaíba, Grande, Piracicaba, Paranapanema, Ivaí and Ivinheima
Paraguay	2.800	Paraguay and Cuiabá
Southeast	1.300	Jacuí, Taquari, Lagoa dos Patos and Mirim
Uruguay	1.200	Uruguay and Ibicui
*Total*	40.000

Transportation BY BasinS Period 1995/1998 – mil ton
Basin	1995	1996	1997	1998*
Amazônica	2.876	3.269	4.654	5.948
São Francisco	26	48	37	54
Paraguay	1.674	2.078	2.380	2.600
Paraná	2.281	2.284	2.482	2.684
Bacias do Sul	3.600	3.424	3.157	2.602
TOTAL	10.468	11.103	12.710	13.484