LOGISTICS
The pandemic increased the demand of logistic solutions in Brazil, and highlighted the difficulties and challenges of the sector.
Maritime transport is the main transport mode for international trade. It depends on an efficient interconnection of ports with railways, highways, and inland waterway for the flow of cargo.
Brazil, with its continental dimensions, needs significant investment in infrastructure to expand and improve its current road network.
Aiming at improving the Brazilian infrastructure, the Ministry of Infrastructure and BNDES partnered to carry out technical studies to make viable the privatization of roads and port assets.
We expect that during the next decade there will be many valuations and structures for logistic investments.
ROADS
Data from the National Transport Confederation (CNT) reveal that highways concentrate more than 60% of the shipment of goods and more than 90% of the passenger travel. Notwithstanding this expressive representativeness, unpaved roads in 2019 represented more than 78% of the national road network. Paved roads have high maintenance issues, resulting from degradation due to intense vehicles flow , overloaded trucks and insufficient investments.
Road concessions represented c.10% of the total mileage of paved roads. The CNT Transport and Logistics Plan of 2018 estimated investments c.R $ 496 billions in construction, paving, duplication and maintenance. This plan takes into consideration the impacts of the quality of the highways, the reliability of delivery and the number of accidents on the roads.
RAILWAYS
Railways are the most suitable mode for transporting large quantities of cargo over long distances due to its low cost.
However, in Brazil the participation of railroads in the transportation matrix is only 15%. The Ministry of Infrastructure, expected by early 2020 an increase to 30% in the next ten years.
The expansion of the railway network, according to the National Association of Railway Transporters, would allow for cost reductions, as a wagon transports 100 tons, compared to 28 tons by a truck. In addition, it would unburden highways, as a train of 100 wagons removes 357 trucks from the roads. Finally, it would reduce the environmental impact, since CO2 emissions of freight trains are lower than burning fossil fuels by trucks.
The government announced the anticipation of railway concessions renewal that would expire in 2026. The concessions imply investments around R $ 25 billion, which would allow the expansion, improvement and increase in the participation of ralways in the transportation matrix.
PORTS
Leasing of ports is one of the alternatives found by the government to improvement and attract investments. The setoffs are installation of new equipment, construction of new storage structures, new mooring areas, and paving and drainage works in the ports access areas.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, in 2020 the Brazilian port sector rose 13 positions in the world efficiency ranking of the segment, and registered record high traffic.
By 2022, the sector should generate R $ 30 billion in investment in auctions and adhesion contracts. Port regulations are being revised to attract investors.
AIRPORTS
The aviation sector was strongly impacted by the pandemic, but the Ministry of Infrastructure forecasts a positive scenario for 2021.
A recent survey by Fundação Dom Cabral indicates an improvement in 18 positions in efficiency in the ranking of aviation services.
In recent years, several airport concessions took place and a significant portion of the sector's growth is attributed to them. The government's goal is to hold 41 airport concessions by 2022, including those of the 6th round in 2020.
URBAN MOBILITY
Urban mobility is always a major concern.
The pandemic impacted urban mobility. Home-office, walking or bicycles rides to avoid the risk of contamination are being incorporated into the population's routine, and should not regress even after the vaccine. In addition, Sustainable Mobility is an irreversible trend, with more electric cars, public transport with broad internet access and less individual pollutant intensive transport to be implemented by 2030.
The challenge of public managers has increased, with the mandate to make investments allowing ample access to urban spaces in a faster, more efficient, and ecologically sustainable way. Ultimately, this guarantees a better quality of individual and collective life.
This is a capital intensive segment, requiring municipal, state and federal actions to supply the population demand in Brazil.