Delegation visits Microsoft and explores technological solutions for the port sector

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On the second day of the Missão Internacional Porto & Mar 2025, organized by Grupo Tribuna in the United States, the Brazilian delegation—comprising around 40 business leaders, government officials, and specialists in the port sector—immersed themselves in experiences that highlighted the convergence of cutting-edge technology, port logistics, and industrial innovation. Yesterday’s visits to Microsoft headquarters and the Port of Everett (see more on pages 6 and 7) offered valuable insights into practices that could inspire the development of Brazil’s port sector amid an increasingly fast-paced global transformation.

The day began at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, in the Seattle metropolitan area. The campus, which spans more than 90 buildings, employs 50,000 people, and covers 8 million square meters, is a model of integration between technological innovation and sustainability.

During the visit, participants explored the Microsoft Visitor Center, where they learned about the company’s history, its innovations in artificial intelligence, and its sustainability initiatives. Like the Port of Seattle, as highlighted by A Tribuna in yesterday’s edition, Microsoft is also committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

This includes, among other strategies, a shift in how employees commute to work. One Microsoft building in Redmond, for example, is dedicated exclusively to bicycle parking for employees. The company even provides a team to maintain the bikes for its staff.

Speed Kirk Arthur, Microsoft’s Global Leader for Government Solutions, welcomed the delegation and emphasized how rapidly industries are evolving and how quickly players are advancing. According to him, “The world is changing, and it has never been so connected in history.”

“We are entering the Fourth Industrial Revolution. And it may be the most significant technological moment in our lifetimes. It will not only define the tech industry—it will define how the world operates from now on.”

Kirk also stressed the role of generative artificial intelligence, noting that it is becoming part of our daily lives—including in the commercial sector—by streamlining and simplifying a wide range of tasks. His message to the delegation was clear: the AI journey is only just beginning. He followed up with demonstrations of new AI tools capable of analyzing videos and identifying anomalies to alert authorities, for instance.

During yesterday’s presentation, Microsoft highlighted its extensive work in the naval sector, including embedded operating systems in warships and submarines, as well as real-time transport research and data analysis.

Port sector Next, Ricardo Fernandes de Miranda, Technology Director at Santos Brasil, gave a presentation to the delegation on the history of computing and the transformations brought about by the internet, which “elevated us to another level,” by mobile technology, which “transformed our lives,” and by cloud data storage.

“With AI, we’ll work under a hyper-productivity model. We’re moving toward AI agents, where machines have decision-making capabilities. Today, we’re still in a binary phase. You’ll need to trust machines to make complex decisions—but they won’t always be right,” Ricardo noted.

Tetsu Koike, Director of Sectoral Policies, Planning and Innovation at the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor), introduced the American audience to the Brazilian port system, highlighting the Port of Santos, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

Among those who attended Tetsu’s presentation was Doug Priest, Head of Public Transport and Urban Infrastructure at Microsoft. He spoke to the delegation about the port sector’s challenges and requirements. Key issues included connectivity, data and process standardization, operational resilience, system integration, operational sustainability, automation, and integrated service platforms.

Doug also addressed the use of AI in logistics routines and the principles that, in his view, must be followed by those looking to optimize outcomes through this tool. “It’s essential to identify the goals to be achieved with AI, adopt the technology, work with metrics to measure success, and train the workforce to generate positive results using organized and structured data.”

The Missão Internacional Porto & Mar 2025, organized by Grupo Tribuna, enters its third day of technical visits today. Yesterday, the group left Washington State and arrived in California. Comprising about 40 business leaders and government officials, the delegation has a full schedule of engagements and business opportunities on the U.S. West Coast through tomorrow. The agenda was developed by Grupo Tribuna’s Port Affairs Consultant, Maxwell Rodrigues. A Tribuna and TV Tribuna are covering the mission with a series of reports.

“The use of artificial intelligence will allow employees to be more efficient and deliver better services to people in need of government support. One challenge we face is getting governments worldwide to understand how secure the technology is and the importance of working with technology partners. It’s a special moment—an exciting time", says Kirk Arthur, Global Leader for Government Solutions at Microsoft (Divulgação)

“We witnessed a paradigm shift. Microsoft has fantastic solutions, and the expectation is to bring that to Brazil—engaging other government entities and the private sector to foster a mindset change. This transformation doesn’t come from just purchasing a technology—it comes from changing your culture and your desire to improve", says Tetsu Koike, Director of Sectoral Policies, Planning and Innovation at the Ministry of Ports and Airports ()

“Artificial intelligence will certainly change our daily lives and our professional activities even further. We saw that Microsoft is integrating AI into its traditional products, such as Word. This will bring a whole new level of productivity to the professional environment", says Ricardo Fernandes de Miranda, Technology Director at Santos Brasil ()

“For now, most people use artificial intelligence for entertainment, but the most impressive transformations will occur in the professional world. It will change how companies make money and how governments deliver better services. We also saw the scale of Microsoft’s work—50,000 people here alone working on technologies", says Angelino Caputo, Executive President of the Brazilian Association of Bonded Terminals (Abtra) ()

“AI is a global trend—there’s no avoiding it. It’s not something for the future—it’s already here. And when we see the gains AI can bring, with so many real-life examples, we understand how we can bring this to the Port of Santos. The visit showed us how they apply technology in ports", says Eduardo Bittencourt, President of the Santos Technology Park ()

“What stood out most was everything we saw related to generative AI. Microsoft has invested billions in artificial intelligence and already has ready-made solutions for the port sector, in partnership with startups. Our challenge now is to develop our agents. Without a doubt, we’ll return with an open mind to implement AI in our operations. We need to take that step”, says Rogério Ramalhoso, Technology Director at Grupo Cesari ()

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