Challenges and solutions for sustainability in Brazilian ports under discussion at COP Portos

Port of Paranaguá, in Paraná, will host the first debate of the 1º Encontro COP Portos Sustentáveis (Claudio Neves/Gcom Portos do Paraná/Disclosure)

Advancing sustainability and decarbonization is a one-way road, and Brazilian ports must meet increasingly demanding standards in the competitive global trade environment. The challenge lies in addressing the initiatives. The solutions will be discussed at the 1º Encontro COP Portos Sustentáveis, which Grupo Tribuna will host on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at the Port of Paranaguá, in Paraná.

This will be the first of three in-person meetings of COP Portos, a commission led by Grupo Tribuna and composed of representatives from both the public and private sectors. The other two meetings will take place at the ports of Santos and a location in the Northeast (to be determined), always at the headquarters of the port authorities.

After the final meeting, the group will prepare a document containing sustainable proposals for the port sector, to be presented at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), in November, in Belém, Pará.

“Grupo Tribuna plays a leading role when it comes to port-related content in Brazil. We are expanding into international initiatives, which enables us to focus on advancing the sustainability agenda in Brazilian ports”, says Maxwell Rodrigues, port affairs consultant for Grupo Tribuna.

“We are experiencing a technological and data revolution in the port sector. The next one will be related to carbon credits, and Brazil has a strategic role to play in that”, Maxwell adds.

A panelist at the event, Marina Cavalini Bailão, Chief of Staff at the Secretaria Nacional de Portos (SNP), intends to highlight the commitments and progress of SNP and the Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos (MPor) in promoting port sustainability and preparing for COP30.

Marina will address the consolidation of the Port 2030 Agenda, the development of emission inventories for organized ports, and the national decarbonization diagnosis, conducted in partnership with the Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq).

“We will also address the energy transition, sector electrification, offshore wind infrastructure, alternative fuels, and regulatory innovations that facilitate sustainable investments”, she says.

She affirms that “by bringing together public managers, operators, specialists, and society, COP Portos contributes to aligning local actions with global climate commitments.”

Cristina Wadner, a lawyer specializing in Maritime and Business Law, will also take part. She states that she will present “a legal perspective on climate-smart maritime corridors, addressing regulatory gaps and the adaptation of Brazilian legislation to international maritime sustainability standards.”

Regarding decarbonization in ports and maritime cargo transport, the expert notes that coordinated actions are required, involving multisector cooperation among the Federal Government, port authorities, companies, shipowners, logistics operators, and the legal community.

“In order to accelerate the adoption of sustainable solutions such as alternative fuels, energy efficiency, and operational digitalization.”

Cristina adds that “this initiative mobilizes the port sector as a key player in the climate agenda, creating a strategic space for technical, political, and business dialogue.”

Registrations for the event can be made through this link .

PROGRAM

Tuesday Location: Palácio Taguaré, Port of Paranaguá (Av. Ayrton Senna da Silva, 161, Dom Pedro II)

1:45 p.m. — Registration

2:00 p.m. — Opening Luiz Fernando Garcia da Silva, CEO of Portos do Paraná

2:20 p.m. — Presentation: “From the Dock to the Community: The Socio-environmental Strength of the Port Sector” Maitê Carlim Moura, Sustainability Analyst at Rocha Terminais Portuários e Logística

2:50 p.m. — Presentation: “Sustainable Initiatives” Ângela Cristina Bahry, ESG Coordinator at Cattalini Terminais Marítimos Gabriella Rodrigues Leal da Silva, SSPAQ Coordinator at Cattalini Terminais Marítimos

3:20 p.m. — Presentation: “The Role of Port Operators in Sustainable Development” Eliane de Oliveira, Environmental Coordinator at TCP

3:50 p.m. — Coffee Break

4:20 p.m. — Panel: “COP30 - Climate-Smart Maritime Corridors: Innovation and Collective Action for Decarbonization. Resilience of the Port and Waterway Sector”

Claudio Bastos, Superintendent of Governance, Risk and Compliance at APS Luiz Fernando Garcia, CEO of Portos do Paraná Juan Duarte, President of AAPA Latam Gilmara Temóteo, Executive Director of Abeph Cristina Wadner, Lawyer specializing in Maritime and Business Law Caio Cunha, Manager of Institutional and Government Relations at Porto do Açu Cláudia Borges, Executive and Institutional Relations Director at ABTP Fabio Silveira, Legal Consultant at Abeph Thales Schwanka Trevisan, Environmental Manager at Portos do Paraná Marina Cavalini Bailão, Chief of Staff at the Secretaria Nacional de Portos