Antaq Award 2026 opens applications with focus on artificial intelligence

In the Port Operations category, the award covers operational efficiency, berth scheduling, as well as queue and access management (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq) began accepting applications on Tuesday for the Antaq Award 2026. This edition is part of the commemorative program marking the agency’s 25th anniversary, a milestone that will be celebrated alongside the awards ceremony on February 18 next year. This time, the theme is Artificial Intelligence in the Sustainable Future of Waterborne Transport.

The call for applications contains the complete regulations and all the necessary guidelines for those interested in competing for the recognition: bit.ly/4hvnJ9m . According to the agency, the award aims to “recognize initiatives that stand out for their contribution to improving the provision of waterborne transport services to society, foster research and technical-scientific production, and disseminate ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and innovation best practices in the sector’s operations and management.”

Professionals and institutions intending to compete in the Technical-Scientific Paper, Gender and Diversity, and Innovative Initiatives categories have until November 6 to register. The process is completely free of charge and conducted exclusively online by completing an electronic form, the link to which is available in the call for applications.

In the Environmental Performance – IDA and Waterway Connectivity categories, there is no need to submit projects, as participation takes place automatically.

Reformulated

The main new feature is the restructuring of the Innovative Initiatives category, which now comprises three thematic areas. Under Sustainability, proposals related to the socio-environmental component, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and ESG criteria will be evaluated.

The Port Operations category is intended for practical cases of technological or process innovation, covering everything from operational efficiency, berth scheduling, and queue and access management to navigation safety, logistics integration, automation, and predictive analysis.

The third area, Occupational Health and Safety, focuses on actions aimed at preserving physical and mental well-being, advancing the safety culture, and promoting well-being in the workplace. Although artificial intelligence is the central theme of the entire award, the agency emphasizes that “the use of technology is not mandatory to compete in the Innovative Initiatives category”, although alignment with the theme is among the evaluation criteria.

Technology mandatory for papers

In the Technical-Scientific Paper category, submitted papers must address the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to waterborne transport, within the institution’s areas of activity. In this category, “an AI-related approach is a requirement for participation, and the degree of alignment with the theme will also be considered in the evaluation”, Antaq says.

In addition to the award, the three highest-ranked papers will be published in the following edition of the agency’s scientific journal, Blue Research, provided that the journal’s editorial requirements and peer-review procedures are met.

The promotion of equity also has its own category, Gender and Diversity, created to recognize initiatives that promote gender equality, reduce disparities, value diversity, and foster the inclusion of minorities both in the workplace and in daily operations. The goal is to highlight actions that generate lasting positive impacts and make the waterborne transport sector more inclusive, fair, and representative. For this specific category, the overall theme related to AI serves only as guidance and is neither required nor scored.

Finally, the two automatically assessed categories evaluate the sector’s operational and environmental performance based on consolidated 2025 data. Under Waterway Connectivity, three inland navigation companies — carrying cargo, passengers, or both — that operated regularly in Brazil and served the largest number of Brazilian municipalities will be awarded.

Managers

The Environmental Performance – IDA category recognizes the port administrations of organized ports and Private Use Terminals (TUPs) that achieve the highest scores in the Environmental Performance Index for 2025. To ensure a balanced competition, the IDA award is divided into operational categories, taking into account the type of facility and the volume of cargo handled: ports and TUPs handling up to 5 million tonnes per year and those exceeding that threshold.