Brave New Digital World

SÃO PAULO – The announcements made by the federal government during the Inova Portos seminar, promoted by the Port of Itaqui in Maranhão on April 4 and 5, 2022, show that at least the port and logistics sector has been receiving the attention it has always deserved in recent years, which may not have happened with such emphasis in previous governments. Just in the last few years, more than 50 auctions of Brazilian ports have taken place, with investments exceeding R$7 billion, accompanied by concessions for private companies to develop services that were once exclusive to the old port companies.

This development may be the result of the choice to appoint only specialized technicians to lead the agencies connected to the Ministry of Infrastructure (Minfra), rather than relying on political appointments. In the past, there was the absurd appointment of a politician from the interior to a top position in a port state-owned company who had never seen a cargo or passenger ship in his life, which gave rise to jokes that spread quickly on the Santos quay.

It would be good if this policy continued to be adopted for a longer time and by future governments, but it is difficult to completely rid the sector of political influence. So much so that the former Minister of Infrastructure, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, who had previously served as Director-General of the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT) during Dilma Rousseff’s government, a retired military officer and a graduate in Engineering, considered a highly technical figure, enthused by the praise for his management in the current government, has already announced his intention to run for Governor of São Paulo.

In any case, what is expected is that the current programs of technological innovation and modernization aimed at reducing bureaucracy and costs in the port sector will be maintained and improved in the next government, whoever emerges as the victor in the majority election. Among these advances are initiatives that, tied to the bidding processes for terminals and public ports, include programs that provide for the adoption of technologies that promote decarbonization and the reduction of fossil fuels. These technologies, by seeking more sustainable energies, end up generating more efficient solutions at lower costs.

In the digital field, it is worth mentioning the Digital Transformation Program, which provides for the adoption of InfraBr, an application for use by truck drivers that facilitates their arrival at the port, and Porto Sem Papel 2.0, which focuses on cargo, passenger, and crew entry and exit and is integrated with PagTesouro, a digital payment system managed by the National Treasury Secretariat aimed at reducing bureaucracy and simplifying the lives of taxpayers, which will also expedite port transactions. Another innovative application is the Electronic Transport Document (DET), whose platform unifies documents and registration information for logistics, commercial, freight, tolls, and insurance of truck drivers engaged in cargo transport. Finally, there is InovaBr, which is aimed at road safety and promotes technology and efficiency in cargo transport.

With the introduction of these innovations brought by the Digital Transformation Program, there will undoubtedly be an improvement in the quality of services offered to users, resulting from programs such as the advanced electronic signature pilot project, free sharing of solutions with public entities, electronic transactions between federated entities, and PagTesouro. What is expected is also the integration of these programs with other systems such as the Single Foreign Trade Portal and with the Navy, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), and International Agricultural Surveillance (Vigiagro).

Another initiative worth mentioning is the Renovar Program, created by Provisional Measure No. 12, of April 1, 2022, which is focused on vehicle recycling, increasing productivity, and logistics efficiency. By joining this program, owners of trucks, buses, and other heavy cargo vehicles over 30 years old or in technical conditions that do not meet minimum roadworthiness standards will be able to withdraw them from circulation on more advantageous terms. In other words, the program will promote the repurchase of the truck to be scrapped, for which the truck driver will be paid the market value of the vehicle, using funds from companies contracted for oil and natural gas exploration and production.

All of this will reduce bureaucracy by simplifying services for citizens and improve the business environment by increasing efficiency in the public sector, finally removing those nefarious figures who thrived on creating difficulties to “sell” solutions. That’s what is expected.

---

Liana Lourenço Martinelli, lawyer, postgraduate in Business Management and International Trade, is the Manager of Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) at the Fiorde Group, consisting of Fiorde International Logistics, FTA Transport, Warehouses, and Barter International Trade. Email: lianalourenco@fiorde.com.br. Website: fiorde.com.br.

Return to Blog