Integrated planning is the solution for the port sector, says expert in Brasília

Marques highlighted environmental licensing as a strategic ally (Bárbara Leite/Special for A Tribuna)

The discussion on environmental licensing in Brazil needs to move beyond the polarization between infrastructure and preservation, especially in the port sector, according to the Superintendent of Environmental and Territorial Management at Infra S.A., Bruno Marques dos Santos Silva. The expert presented his perspective in the opening lecture of the Summit Portos, titled “Bottleneck or protection? The challenges of environmental licensing in the expansion of port infrastructure.” The event was promoted by Grupo Tribuna this Tuesday (7), at Clube Naval, in Brasília.

Marques emphasized that environmental licensing can be a strategic ally of sustainable growth. “A dichotomous view still prevails: on one side, some argue that environmental licensing is a bottleneck to development; on the other, there are those who claim that infrastructure expansion overrides any form of environmental protection.” According to him, this simplistic interpretation hinders progress.

The expert stressed that licensing is important for Brazil and “can be a tool for transformation”, while at the same time it “protects, which is a fundamental condition for the country’s development.”

In the port sector, which has been registering successive records, the challenge is to expand infrastructure without compromising the environment. “Sustainability has already taken its place; it is at the table in all discussions”, said Marques, noting that the segment has been incorporating practices aligned with global sustainable development goals.

As a solution, he proposes long-term planning based on integrated logistics corridors. “We need to stop treating projects individually and start thinking in terms of infrastructure corridors”, he explained. The idea is for road, rail, and port projects to be analyzed together, increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts.

Regarding criticism of delays in processes, Marques cites excessive regulations and lack of standardization. However, the problem goes beyond bureaucracy. “The articulation of public policies and an integrated vision will provide greater agility in licensing”, he concluded.

Luiz Soggia: EVTEA is essential to support decisions in contracts (Bárbara Leite/Special for A Tribuna)

Keeping up with port demands becomes a challenge

The Brazilian port sector faces the challenge of growing at a pace compatible with demand without losing sight of environmental sustainability. In the technical lecture “The port trinity: integrating engineering, economics, and environment through EVTEA”, A&M Infra Senior Director Luiz Soggia discussed the role of the Technical, Economic, and Environmental Feasibility Study (EVTEA), also noting that bottlenecks hinder the execution of expansion projects.

According to him, EVTEA is essential to support decision-making within lease agreements. “Today, the port sector operates under a process in which most changes require quantification, which ultimately makes procedures longer”, he explained.

The expert pointed out that delays directly impact investments. “Often, terminals must wait for this regulatory process before carrying out improvements, which takes the project out of the real-world timeline, where investments need to be made more swiftly”, he said.

Soggia noted that cargo throughput continues to grow steadily, but infrastructure does not keep pace at the same rate. “We see annual growth, but there are still bottlenecks, including due to the lack of surrounding infrastructure works, such as in Rio Grande do Sul”, he exemplified.

He mentioned that a critical issue is the limited perspective focused only within terminal boundaries. “There is a strong focus inside the terminal, but little attention is given to the organized port as a whole, especially regarding land access and logistics integration”, he highlighted.

Despite the challenges, he believes it is possible to reconcile development and preservation. “It is possible to grow and protect the environment. Discussions today are more robust and already integrate economic and environmental aspects within the same project”, he assessed.

For the expert, the main bottleneck is no longer legislation. “We have made progress in the legal field. Today’s challenges are more institutional, involving coordination among different bodies and agencies to ensure more efficient decision-making”, he concluded.