Summit in Brasília discusses environmental licensing and port expansions

Progress in ports with respect for the environment: it is possible to reconcile infrastructure and sustainability (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The relationship between infrastructure development, the complexity of environmental licensing processes, and the importance of coordination among public agencies in the Brazilian port sector will guide discussions at the Summit Portos, starting at 2:00 p.m. this Tuesday (7), at the Clube Naval, in Brasília. Organized by the Grupo Tribuna , the event will bring together public authorities, experts, and private sector representatives.

The opening lecture will be delivered by the Superintendent of Environmental and Territorial Management at Infra S.A., Bruno Marques dos Santos Silva, on the topic: “Bottleneck or protection? The challenges of environmental licensing in the expansion of port infrastructure.”

“I intend to provide a critical and strategic reading of the role of environmental licensing in the Brazilian port sector, moving beyond this dichotomous view that reduces it to either an obstacle to development or, conversely, a merely defensive protection mechanism”, Silva stated.

The Infra S.A. superintendent added that he will address the growing regulatory, territorial, social, and environmental complexity that characterizes the sector “and demonstrate that licensing challenges arise not only from procedural steps, but also from how territories are prepared (or not) to receive large-scale, high-impact projects.”

Public policies

A guest on the panel “Healthy port environment: how to promote social development, governance, the economy, and growth?”, the General Coordinator of Sustainability at the Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos (MPor), Rafaela Gomes, will highlight Federal Government public policies.

“MPor plays a strategic role in promoting a healthy port environment through the formulation, coordination, and implementation of public policies aimed at sector sustainability.”

Rafaela explained that the ministry’s sustainability policy guides institutional action in incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria into its activities. According to her, through this policy, MPor leads the Sustainability Pact, an initiative that seeks to engage the various stakeholders in the port sector around a shared agenda.

“Structured as a voluntary commitment network, with the goal of driving concrete and coordinated actions in favor of sustainable development, including energy transition, environmental preservation, and circular economy initiatives, among others.”

The coordinator reiterated that MPor coordinates with “environmental agencies, sector entities, and international partners, contributing to a more resilient, competitive port sector aligned with environmental commitments.”

For the Commercial Director of Grupo Tribuna, Demetrio Amono, the event aims to broaden the debate on one of the main barriers to sector development.

“We hope to contribute by giving visibility to a very important issue for the development of the port and logistics sector”, he said.

Amono emphasized that environmental licensing must advance in a balanced manner.

“Environmental issues, for business growth, must be handled with responsibility and transparency, respecting the environment while allowing the necessary investments — otherwise we risk losing competitiveness and falling behind other countries.”

According to him, the current scenario requires coordination among different stakeholders.

“The situation calls for productive dialogue among all involved to eliminate bottlenecks and unlock investments held back by the lack of environmental licenses. Grupo Tribuna supports this agenda. Brazil needs to move forward”, he concluded.

Program

2:00 p.m. – Official opening 2:25 p.m. – Opening lecture “Bottleneck or protection? The challenges of environmental licensing in the expansion of port infrastructure” Bruno Marques dos Santos Silva – Superintendent of Environmental and Territorial Management at Infra S.A. 3:00 p.m. – Technical lecture “The port trinity: integrating engineering, economics, and the environment through EVTEA” Luiz Soggia – Senior Director at A&M Infra 3:40 p.m. – Panel discussion “Healthy port environment: how to promote social development, governance, the economy, and growth?” Rafaela Gomes – General Coordinator of Sustainability at the Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos (MPor) Uirá Cavalcante Oliveira – Acting Superintendent of ESG and Innovation at the Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq) João Paulo Ribeiro Santana – Environmental Director at Portos do Paraná Marcelo Schmitt – General Manager at Stolthaven Terminals Brasil Daury de Paula Júnior – Consultant and former Environmental Prosecutor of Santos Patrícia Gravina – Director at the Special Secretariat of the Programa de Parcerias de Investimentos (PPI) of the Federal Government 5:00 p.m. – Special closing lecture Richard Rasmussen – Economist and biologist