In an effort to reduce the impacts of drought in the Amazon region, the National Waterway Transportation Agency (ANTAQ) approved a decree last Wednesday, authorizing the chartering of all types of cargo for coastal shipping in the region.
The decision, presented by Director Wilson Lima Filho, was approved ad referendum (when the procedure cannot wait for the board meeting and is analyzed at a later time). The goal is to expedite the authorization for chartering smaller vessels capable of navigating the region, which suffers from reduced water depths due to the severe drought in the Amazon region.
This unprecedented authorization is valid for a period of 90 days and aims to help alleviate the devastating environmental and economic effects throughout the entire national territory caused by the drought. Data from the National Center for Monitoring and Alerts of Natural Disasters (Cemaden) show that the region is experiencing the worst drought in the last 40 years.
It’s worth noting that the primary means of transportation and cargo distribution in the Amazon region is through waterborne vessels. In some cases, not even small boats can provide transportation services due to the low water levels of the region’s rivers.
According to Eduardo Nery, the General Director of ANTAQ, it aims to mitigate the impacts of the drought and maintain passenger and cargo transportation services in the region.
“ANTAQ is concentrating all its efforts within its jurisdiction to alleviate the impacts of the drought affecting the Amazon River basin,” he said.
In the same line, Director Wilson Lima Filho, who presented the ordinance proposal within ANTAQ, stated that the aim is to act promptly in addressing the issues of drought in the region.
“Our main focus is to act swiftly within ANTAQ’s prerogatives in an emergency of great public interest.”
For more information: datamarnews.com