On Wednesday May 4, US Ambassador Liliana Ayalde and MOT Deputy Minister Natalia Marcassa opened a joint workshop in Brasilia, Brazil focusing on best practices in developing and operating seaports and inland waterways.

The three-day workshop taking place under the auspices of the U.S-Brazil Transportation Partnership brings together maritime and transportation experts from the US Department of Transportation, including the US Maritime Administration, private sector entities, and the following organizations from the Brazilian government: Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Special Secretariat of Ports, Waterway Navigation Agency, Department of Infrastructure, Company of Planning and Logistics, and the Department of Defense. The workshop will address topics in port congestion, dredging requirements, port and marine highway development, infrastructure financing, inter-modal connectivity, regulatory procedures and impediments, and related issues.

The Brazil-US Transportation Partnership was launched in 2014 with the establishment of four technical working groups reflecting mutual transportation priorities, including ports and inland waterways, highways and roads, railroads and emergency management best practices. Brazil and the United States have similar challenges and opportunities presented by their geographic scale and diversity.

In the maritime sector, both countries rely on seaports for their economic well-being, and both are working to expand the use of inland waterways to reinforce supply chain capacity. With approximately 90 percent of global trade facilitated by waterborne transportation, both nations agree that developing and maintaining efficient, resilient, and cost-effective marine transportation systems is critical to keeping pace with forecasted increases in freight traffic, population growth, and a more integrated global economy.

Overall, the four working groups established under the U.S.-Brazil Transportation Partnership reflect a continued commitment to improving transportation infrastructure as a means toward a more prosperous future for both nations.