Brazilian Maritime Pilots' Association Magazine 67th edition - February to May/2024
In Maranhão, therulestidethe maneuvers
editorial
After a pause in the last edition, we resume the Brazilian pilotage zone series, their special features and challenges. In the 12th article, reporter Rodrigo March and photographer Gustavo Stephan visited Maranhão (ZP-4), where the tidal range could exceed seven meters, concentrating operations in short windows.
Next, we bring a summary of the swearing-in at the National Pilots’ Council in Brasilia and the Congress of the International Marine Pilots’ Association (IMPA) in Rotterdam.
The federal capital also hosted the seminar Paperless Port, organized by the National Secretariat of Ports and Water Transport, at the Brazilian Pilots’ Institute. The event presented the progress of the system to reduce bureaucracy and increase port productivity; a case acknowledged by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
And, in the 50 years of the Rio-Niterói Bridge, we demonstrate how pilots play a key role in safe shipping under the bridge and throughout Guanabara Bay.
We also undertook a survey of impacts of the effects of climate change on the maneuvers, from north to south of the country. How have the pilot stations adapted to keep maritime transport safe and efficient? This is what readers will see below.
We close the edition with a profile of mariner Genny Souza, of São Paulo pilots, an example of diversity in the maritime industry; and also, an article with canoeist Isaquias Queiroz, who flies to Paris with the dream of becoming the top Brazilian Olympic athlete. We in the Brazilian pilots’ team will be cheering him on.
Good reading!
Otavio Fragoso is the editor in charge.
Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association
Av. Rio Branco, 89/1502 – Centro – Rio de Janeiro – RJ – CEP 20040-004
Tel.: 55 (21) 2516-4479
conapra@conapra.org.br praticagemdobrasil.org.br
director president of Brazilian Maritime Pilots' Association
Bruno Fonseca de Oliveira
director vice-president
Marcello Rodrigues Camarinha
directors
Felipe Perrotta Bezerra
Jelmires José Galindo Junior
Ricardo Augusto Leite Falcão (vice-president of IMPA)
Rumos Práticos
planning
Otavio Fragoso/Flávia Pires/Katia Piranda
editor
Otavio Fragoso
writer
Rodrigo March (journalist in charge)
MTb/RJ 23.386
translation
Elvyn Marshall
revision
Julia Grillo
layout and design
Katia Piranda
pre-print
DVZ Impressões Gráficas
cover photo: Gustavo Stephan
The information and opinions expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily express the Brazilian Maritime Pilots' Association viewpoint.
photo:
Rodrigo March
The São Luís Island dance
Coming and going of ships in simultaneous maneuvers is one of the features of the pilotage zone with the highest tidal range
MARANHÃO STATE SãoMarcosBay
Alumar Terminal
Atalaia Watchtower
Ilha do Medo Fear Island
Port of Itaqui
Guarapirá Island
Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal
Like in a dance, imagine four large ships leaving and four entering at the same time, crossing the same area in perfect synchronicity. In São Marcos Bay, in Maranhão, the vessels need to make use of the narrow operating windows, defined by the tide. This is Brazil’s largest tidal range, possibly exceeding seven meters (at the farthest terminal) and with six-knot currents. This is why most maneuvers are scheduled for the times with the lowest current levels in unberthing and berthing. And this is only one of the particularities of Pilotage Zone 4 (PZ04) – the 12th report on the Rumos Práticos series on Brazilian ZPs.
The majority of tasks should occur in the two hours and a half prior to high tide. In the case of low tide, maneuvers take place from 30 minutes before the lowest tide to one hour and a half after this moment. The ebb tide is stronger than the inflow.
“The maneuvers are simultaneous. A ship leaves and another enters the berth. If the window is not used, we have to wait for six hours”, says Carlos Eduardo Albuquerque, general manager of the Maranhão State Pilots’ Association (APEM). “We program to be in the mid-flood tide when we are berthing, both at high and low tide.
The problem is that this joins all the traffic at the same time. It’s complicated if a ship is late or early. The crossings are all in the same area. It all has to be well synchronized”, adds pilot Nicolas Herren.
On May 16, the public port of Itaqui beat a record with 11 maneuvers performed in one low-tide window. There were five unberthings and six berthings, with five simultaneous maneuvers. The Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal, operated by Vale, and Alumar Terminal, are also in the ZP area. The traffic is busiest at the height of Ponta da Madeira during the entrance and departure of ships.
In addition to the strong currents and winds from the Northeast are the challenges of the vessels' size. In Itaqui, the smallest berth fits 80,000 tons carrying capacity and 183 meters in length. At Ponta da Madeira, however, the large Valemax bulk carriers operate, with over 400,000 tons, 362 meters in length (greater than the height of the Eiffel Tower) and 23 meters draft.
“Here, an 85,000-ton ship is considered small”, manager Carlos Eduardo Albuquerque points out.
photo: Publicity
According to pilot Josivaldo Reis, the size of the vessels has increased in the past 15 years, and interaction between them, maneuvering at the same time, should be taken into account:
“It is necessary to know when to give priority or what is the priority, so that there is a close link in the tidal windows. We have to be in constant communication. I always say to the practitioners that the maneuver starts when they leave home to go to work, identifying the window, how many ships will be maneuvered and the (shipping) profile of the pilots, everything to ensure safety".
São Marcos Bay is an estuary of around 100 kilometers long. The access channel is natural, with little need for dredging, and its signage is maintained by Vale. The 55 nautical miles have 40 with optional pilotage (which caused the Stellar Banner to run aground in 2020, without a pilot’s aid).
To steer the boats to São Luís Island, the pilots board at two points before the Island of Fear: on the two buoys 19 and 24 – in event of vessels with a draft of less than 11 meters – or 2.3 miles earlier – for vessels with deadweight of more than 100,000 tons or draft of 11 meters or more.
In the summer months, from July to December, the winds are at a constant 30 knots, with gusts recorded at 48, forming waves that hinder the pilot’s boarding at low tide. To overcome them, the pilot station has boats of up to 60 feet. Two of them have equipment that stabilizes the vessel at low speeds.
“Some waves more than two meters high cover the deck and break on the boat’s windscreen”, comments mariner Antonio Araújo. “Some captains that are more accustomed to being here already use a protective yawl for the pilot to board”, adds the boat master Alex de Melo.
One of the pilots comments that the winds also influence the maneuvers on unloaded Valemax vessels:
“These are ships that arrive with considerable sail area (under wind action), equivalent to a Panamax container carrier. It is a crate of more than 360 meters in length”.
Continuing bound for São Luís, Ponta da Madeira Terminal is the first on the island, on the eastern shore of the bay. On the other side of the channel, the Cavalos sandbank requires vigilance from
ph
oto:
Gustavo
Stephan
PILOT NICOLAS HERREN WHILE UNBERTHING AT ITAQUI
the sailors. Five mooring berths are there, with depths of 23 and 25 meters. It is the busiest freight terminal in the country, according to the Waterway Statistics of the National Waterway Traffic Agency (Antaq). In 2023, 166.3 million tons were recorded, basically iron ore for China, freighted by Carajás railway.
At pier four, where the current is stronger, two pilots are deployed on board. The ZP tugs are all azimuthal, designed to push the Valemax giant vessels, aided by five of them in maneuvers. Some tugs have 91.30-ton bollard pull. Pilot Nicolas points out that this requires close attention in operations with smaller boats:
“Most tugs are above 75-tons bollard pull. So, when a gas tanker or another smaller boat arrives to moor in Itaqui, we have to use a giant tug. I think this is the hardest maneuver. The tug pulls over and the ship leaves. It is absurdly difficult to berth parallel to the quay. We depend a lot on the captain. If he is a few seconds late in executing the order, it already messes it up.”
From Ponta da Madeira, Itaqui port extends approximately 4.5 kilometers southwards. In front of it and Alumar Terminal is another sandbank that restricts navigation, called Lanzudos. There are nine mooring berths, the largest able to receive vessels of up to 280 meters in length and 18.50 meters draft.
In 2023, Itaqui shifted 36.3 million tons, being the fourth largest public port in Brazil according to Antaq. The main cargoes were, in decreasing order, soybean, petroleum and byproducts, corn, fertilizers and pulp & paper, but also gas (GLP), coal, copper, pig iron, caustic soda and general freight. Ship to ship transport operations are performed in berth 106. There is no container handling in the pilotage zone. One of the reasons is that the tide imposes operating restrictions.
Rumos Práticos accompanied maneuvers of three bulk carriers in the ZP: in Itaqui, leaving berth 101 and entering berth 105; at Alumar, departure from berth 2. In the first port, the departure
northwards from Guarapirá Island with a loaded ship requires extra attention on the bends, since they are always portside, and the ship’s tendency is to bear to starboard, due to the local currents, heading towards the moored ships.
“The first rule we hear when reaching this port is: never maneuver at low tide. Most ships moor by starboard, already turning the bow to leave the channel. Any advance at low tide causes the ship to move towards the ship moored at its prow”, explains pilot Nicolas.
Going on to Alumar Terminal, the channel entrance is also complicated, due to the very strong current, which takes the ship to starboard.
“You don’t place the bow between but rather outside the buoys, the two buoys staying on its starboard. With the sharp drift angle to starboard because of the current not being in line with
the channel, the ship will be able to pass between the buoys and navigate in the middle of the channel, always adjusting to the necessary speed and drift angle. On one occasion, a captain placed the rudder to starboard because he did not understand that I was compensating the current. I had to undo it. Today I usually advise the captains beforehand,” says pilot José Roberto Taranto.
The passage through the narrow Alumar channel during the strong downpours of rain, typical of winter (January to June), is another delicate situation, due to the difficulty in seeing the signage buoys.
“In this heavy rain, visibility is hindered so that it is only possible to see the next pair of buoys when very close to them, or not even then. There was one occasion when I needed to sail a large part of the channel, 120 meters in width, using only the radar”, comments pilot José Roberto Taranto.
ph
oto:
Gustavo Stephan
According to Carlos Eduardo Albuquerque, general manager of APEM, the downpours which used to be intense and short are now lasting longer. The pilot station undertakes weekly training campaigns in its operations center, where a maneuver simulator has been installed with all terminals and standard ships operating in the ZP, available for setting the scenes. One of them is precisely for performing radar navigation when it is raining in the Alumar channel.
“The buoys can move a little with the current. And on the radar it is possible to identify where they are at the moment, a little unlike the electronic nautical map. It's a lot more similar to what the pilot would be seeing”, comments Claudio Coreixas, APEM executive manager in charge of the simulations.
Alumar Terminal is at the convergence of Coqueiros Strait with Cachorros River, 33 kilometers from São Luís downtown. With two berths for ships up to 229 meters in length and 11.58 meters draft, it receives bauxite and loads alumina, in addition to coal and caustic soda used in the refinery production in the industrial complex. In 2023, it handled 13.4 million tons, 8.9 million of which
was bauxite. Since the channel has a minimum depth of eight meters, heavily laden vessels only enter at high tide.
“The pilots are good and experienced, I feel safe with them on board”, captain Roy Moscaya comments, whose ship carried bauxite from the Juruti and Trombetas terminals in the Amazon.
Maranhão pilotage goes back to 1817, the date of a letter drafted by José Paulo da Silva Gama, then the governor of Maranhão captaincy, to the secretary of State of Dom Joao VI, when he mentioned the requisition of a pilot for a Brazilian Navy ship. Officially, the first service standards were created in a regulation dated September 22, 1852.
Today, the profession undertakes Around 4,500 maneuvers a year. For this purpose, APEM has the support of 11 boats and 80 employees, approximately 55 based in the port of Itaqui. In the State, 31 pilots are qualified to steer vessels inside the pilotage zone. In the future, there are projects for seven new mooring berths, such as berth 98 in Itaqui, and the ports of São Luís and Alcantara.
ph otos: Gustavo Stephan
PILOT BOAT
EXIT IN FRONT OF VALE TERMINAL
14 pilotage in Brazil
PASSAGE THROUGH ALUMAR CHANNEL
photo: Gustavo Stephan
The Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association (Conapra) Board and Audit Committee take office
The event in Brasilia was attended by Silvio Costa Filho, Minister of Ports and Airports
The swearing-in-ceremony of the Board and Audit Committee of the Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association (Conapra) was held on March 19 in Brasilia for the two-year period 2024-2025.
Pilot Bruno Fonseca from Ceará was invested as president, as well as vice-president Marcello Camarinha (Rio de Janeiro-RJ); directors Felipe Perrotta (Bahia-BA), Jelmires Galindo (São Francisco, Santa Catarina-SC) and Ricardo Falcão (Eastern Amazon Basin); and councilors Igor Sanderson (Areia Branca, Rio Grande do Norte-RN), Julio Souza (Pernambuco-PE) and Luiz Carlos Veloso (Pará-PA).
The event in the Villa Rizza venue was attended by Silvio Costa Filho, Minister of Ports and Airports, and other representatives of the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary and of the maritime and port sector.
“No one can talk about the country’s economic development without mentioning the Brazilian port sector. And, if there is a segment that deserves our respect, commitment and ongoing support it’s pilotage, which has now and then been an occasional victim of prejudice. We know the institutional and social role that Brazilian Pilots play”, – stated the Ports Minister in his speech.
photo: Igo Estrela
FROM LEFT: JULIO SOUZA, IGOR SANDERSON, FELIPE PERROTTA, BRUNO FONSECA, MARCELLO CAMARINHA, JELMIRES GALINDO, RICARDO FALCÃO & LUIZ CARLOS VELOSO
Former president Ricardo Falcão, who continues on the Board, handed over the post to president Bruno Fonseca. It was his fourth administration as head of the Brazilian Marine Pilots’ Association. He took stock of the last two years, highlighting approval of the new pilotage law and the structuring of the Brazilian Pilots' Institute in Brasilia:
“The battles haven’t ended. Now comes the period of anchoring the achievements and moving forward a little. The new act brought clarity to society and regulatory stability. But we need to always be vigilant so that the commercial interests do not overlap safety. We have to protect the entire population and its hinterland that economically depends on a port. To guarantee that we’re always developing with clean water. And we have demonstrated that port efficiency and safe shipping are not irreconcilable. Brazilian pilotage, with no mutt complex, is a global benchmark and the Brazilian Pilots' Institute is another example of this.
Falcão stressed to his colleagues that “at all times, we must remind the waterway people that pilotage is not only a business, but also means State control of shipping safety” and that “it is up to us pilots to preserve it, offering the best service with maximum professionalism”.
“We must continue working to keep government and population respect and trust; to have in everyday life everyone’s support in our decisions. We can never forget that each of us represents a profession that has existed for 4,000 years, having been regulated in Brazil 215 years ago."
President Bruno Fonseca looked towards the future and mentioned the next challenges, such as investing in the Institute:
“We will continue to strengthen the Brazilian Pilots' Institute, furthering its integration with the community and intensifying training,
such as the Pilots’ Refresher Course (ATPR). Recalling that the Institute’s simulation center is an option to check the feasibility of new maneuvers and port facilities. It is a tool available for Brazil’s progress.”
Among other objectives, he also mentioned the importance of improving the parliament members’ awareness so that Brazil may internalize the conventions regarding accident pollution. The country is only a signatory to the 1969 Convention on Civil Liberty on Oil Pollution (CLC-69), being entitled to only 8.9 million dollars and only in event of an accident involving oil as freight within the territorial sea.
He also argued the need to continue working to disseminate the activity for society and to improve the quality of the research reports
photos:
Igo
Estrela
MINISTER SILVIO COSTA FILHO
SWORN-IN PRESIDENT, BRUNO FONSECA
FORMER PRESIDENT RICARDO FALCÃO, WHO CONTINUES AS DIRECTOR
on boarding and disembarking devices. In 2023, seven pilots around the world died during the pilot boat-ship transfer and viceversa. In 2024, there has already been a fatal accident in Turkey.
In the environmental field, the president mentioned that the focus is to encourage pilotage companies to adopt increasingly sustainable practices in their operations, contributing to the global effort of reducing carbon emissions and the effects of climate change.
Lastly, Bruno Fonseca highlighted the quality of Brazilian pilots, reflecting the maritime authority’s proper regulation:
“At each boarding, pilots risk their lives to steer the ship safely and protect society from accidents with drastic consequences for our oceans and rivers. When it comes to safety, Brazil is a benchmark. There are around 80,000 maneuvers a year with a rate of practically 100% without complications. We have never had a major accident involving an oil-spill. We have the best regulatory standards in the profession, with legal force since January. They express the minimum rate of incidents in our waters."
Those attending the event were: Alex Sandro de Ávila, national secretary of Ports and Waterway Transportation; minister João Carlos Parkinson, head of the Infrastructure Integration Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Morgana de Almeida, minister of the Superior Labor Court (TST); air lieutenant brigadier Alcides Teixeira Barbacovi, general director of the Department of Airspace Control (Decea); senator Wellington Fagundes, president of the Joint Parliamentary Front for Logistics and Infrastructure (Frenlogi); federal deputies Augusto Coutinho, Coronel Meira (rapporteur dealing with the pilotage bill in the Chamber of Deputies), general Eduardo Pazuello, Kiko Celeguim and Luiz Carlos Hauly; plus representatives of companies and associations in the sector.
THE COUNCIL
Created in 1975, Brazilian Maritime Pilots’ Association (Conapra) represents the pilot bodies and aims to enhance the profession. It is the body representing pilots before the Brazilian Navy, entity which regulates the profession, and which has delegated to Conapra three capacities: to coordinate the Pilots’ Refresher Course (ATPR); to approve the centers of operations and crews of the pilot motorboats; and to undertake inspections and reports for approval of the pilot boats.
Since 1981, the Association has been affiliated to the International Association of Maritime Pilots (IMPA), voice of pilotage in the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Currently pilot Ricardo Falcão is one of its vice-presidents. Since 2004 it is also a part of the Brazilian delegation operating in IMO, London, with pilot Marcelo Cajaty.
photos:
Igo Estrela
Good relations with stakeholders is one of the highlights at the IMPA Congress
Vice-president Ricardo Falcão addressed the case of approval of the new pilotage law in Brazil
Pilots from every continent met in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) at the 26th Congress of the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA). The agenda included topics such as problems encountered in the pilot ladders accessing the ships; port operation challenges such as decarbonization; diversity in the maritime industry; good relations with stakeholders; new technologies; plus cases raised by the different countries. Brazil Pilotage was represented by its president, Bruno Fonseca and director Ricardo Falcão, one of the IMPA vice-presidents.
After a cultural address and message from Arsenio Domingue, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), it was the turn of Simon Pelletier, IMO president, to welcome the delegates. He updated information on the progress in IMO of the revision of the regulation on pilot transfer devices at the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). According to the annual IMPA survey, the percentage of boarding and disembarking irregularities on ships is still above 16%.
A Jacob’s ladder and combination ladder are the most common devices for transferring the pilot from the pilot boat to the ship and back again, and these must be in a good state of repair and installed according to international regulations.
Simon Pelletier explains that it is essential for the pilots to engage the stakeholders involved with the topic, in order to reduce the problems:
“The stakeholders should perceive our excellent work and understand why we are important for a country’s economic, environmental and social interests. When they understand this, they will understand why we need access to the best training and equipment, and why it is vital to meet the requirements of pilot transfer arrangements.
The first day addressed the industry’s prospects for maritime shipping, with the participation of organizations such as the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko), International Harbor Masters’ Association (IHMA), Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) and the International Association for Marine Electronics Companies (CIRM).
“Most voyages of vessels start and end using the help of pilots. One of you is there to help in some of the world’s most challenging access channels and most complicated maneuvers. And that is why I thank you. Our members have a vital professional relationship with you and your profession”, thanked Katharina Stanzel, director of Intertanko.
The second day also discussed pilot transfer to the vessels. Matthew Williams, IMPA’s secretary-general, gave more details about the revision process of the regulation that disciplines the installation of the boarding devices.
Dutch pilot Arie Palmers stressed the importance of his colleagues reporting the problems in these arrangements, which could cause man overboard. He is an active supervisor of irregularities and ambassador of the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP).
In the afternoon, challenges and opportunities in port operations were discussed, including decarbonization of the maritime industry. Camille Bourgeon, IMO specialist, addressed the institute’s strategy to contribute in reducing the ships’ greenhouse gas emissions. Minsu Jeon, technical manager of operations for the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), pointed out the advancements in navigation aids and Vessel Traffic Service (VTS). David Sirait, president of the Teluk Lamong terminal, in Indonesia, talked about the role of pilotage in upgrading the container terminal performance.
PRESIDENT SIMON PELLETIER
photo: IMPA publicity
On the third day, other matters were addressed relating to sustainability in its widest sense, such as the IMPA projects in this field that created a specific directorship; diversity in pilotage and industry; the psychological impact of pilotage accidents; and alternative energy and design solutions for pilot boats. Pilot teamwork, new technologies such as autonomous ships and their implications on the activity were other matters discussed that day.
At the end of the program, the pilotage associations mentioned cases and experiences in their own countries, including how to keep good relations and promote engagement with stakeholders in order to convey how important the pilotage service is throughout the logistics chain.
Pilot Ricardo Falcão, director of Brazil Pilots and vice-president of IMPA, recounted the approval of the new pilotage regulation in Brazil, after almost two years of work in Congress and with the representatives of the sector, until the law was sanctioned by the President of the Republic.
“There is no recipe for preserving or changing a regulatory reality. We have common operating bases in the world, but countries are different. For this reason, IMPA did not have guidelines. We are the
ones who have to do this hard work and discover solutions, rolling up our sleeves. We have to attend congresses like this one, exchange experiences and meet the pilots from other countries. This is something that greatly helped us to win arguments and move on”, said Falcão.
President Simon Pelletier, in his first speech when opening the event, had foreseen the subject:
“Often, IMPA is asked to raise domestic issues in IMO to settle problems that are not settled at a national level by the individual pilotages. This proposal is risky for pilots internationally. The consensual and world view among pilots is that the IMO should not interfere in national systems. The IMO is unable to settle these matters efficiently. It has a role to perform in international shipping. Its approach is global. Similarly, IMPA cannot substitute national defense.
According to Simon Pelletier, the IMPA biennial congress and general meeting are ways in which the members of the five continents exchange knowhow and experience, both formally and informally. The idea is to support the pilot associations in the mission to promote safety in the activity as an essential public service.
Vice-president Ricardo Falcão showed a promotional video of Brazil Pilots on hosting the congress in Brazil in 2028. The next edition will be in Indonesia in 2026.
Pilots Evandro Saab (Pará ZP), João Bosco (Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul-RS), Laviera Laurino (Itajaí, Santa Catarina-SC), Leandro Pedreschi (Itajaí, SC), Marco Matsumura (Eastern Amazon Basin) and Porthos Lima (Rio de Janeiro) also attended the event.
TALK BY IMPA VICE-PRESIDENT RICARDO FALCÃO
JOOST MULDER (IMPA), RICARDO FALCÃO & BRUNO FONSECA
photos: IMPA publicity
Brazilian Pilots’ Institute supports Paper-free Port Seminar
Event on the advances of the system: ships' stay in ports has dropped from 20 to four days since 2012
The Brazilian Pilots’ Institute in Brasilia hosted the Paper-free Port Seminar on March 8th, organized by the National Secretariat of Ports and Waterway Transportation of the Ministry of Ports and Airports.
The event addressed the upgrades and innovations for users of the system implemented in 2011. The Paper-free Port is in 100% Brazilian public ports and 85% private terminals (TUPs), being a case acknowledged by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This is a port management information system developed to de-bureaucratize permanence procedures of ships in Brazilian ports, adopting import and export procedures based on a single digital gateway of port data.
The system integrates the data of interest to the shipping agents and public authorities that operationalize and manage vessel accommodation in the ports.
According to Alex Sandro de Ávila, national secretary of Ports and Waterway Transportation, the tool was one of the factors that have contributed to cutting the average time of the ship in port from 20 days, in 2012, to seven days in 2023 and four days in the first two months of this year:
“The aim is to constantly upgrade and enhance our system.”
Before integration, the shipping agents were obligated to complete 112 hardcopy forms with more than 2,000 information items. Currently, there is one virtual document with 935 fields.
Frigate captain Antonio Cezar Souza Sales recalled that in 2007, in a study on port procedure in 150 countries undertaken by the World Bank, Brazil ranked 61st
“It was understood that something needed to be done for an efficient and fast port procedure”, said Salles, emphasizing that today the Brazilian Navy sets a three-hour period as target for checking documents and issuing consent, which is the vessel’s departure pass from the port, as long as there is no need for inspection. “Centralized management was one of the key benefits.”
The officer explained that the Brazilian Navy is the Brazilian Maritime Authority responsible for the safety of waterway traffic, protecting human life at sea, and preventing vessel water pollution. Therefore, he stated that it must be certified that the ships are in a seaworthy condition and their crew qualified.
The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) is responsible for controlling onboard and environmental health risks and has also succeeded in optimizing time with the Paper-free Port facilities. It is the agency that issues the Vessel Health Certificate (CSE) among others, without which the ship is unable to berth.
Holder of the 5th Directorship of Anvisa, Danitza Passamai Rojas classified the implementation of the system as an advance in health activity. She said that the document inspection process was facilitated since it can now be done automatically. Previously, agents had to check the documentation, one by one, on the computer or, in some cases, go to where the ships were berthed. On-site inspections now take place with a streamlined workforce.
“The remotely operating system is essential for us to be able to meet the huge demand, especially since there is a staff shortage.”
The Federal Police has also highlighted the efficiency of the Paper-free Port in its operations. An agent in Santos Port – where
FRIGATE CAPTAIN ANTÔNIO CEZAR SOUZA SALES
photo: Arthur Tanabe
150 ships are moored or anchored every day – federal police officer Fabricio Vasconcellos has counted that the time for granting FP consent for the vessels has dropped from more than ten minutes to a few seconds thanks to the data access provided by the system.
“We have a summary screen with data of interest to the Federal Police, which speeds up consent in a port as busy as Santos”, considered Fabricio Vasconcellos.
At a second stage, the FP expects to access data to combat international drug traffic, since the port of Santos is a route very much used by the criminals. The idea is to direct ostensible teams to patrol the region.
“With just a click we can marry data about ships that are in the port’s region at that moment, their routes and crews, origin, stay time, if there is a crew member with a criminal process and we can organize better proceedings”, Fabricio Vasconcellos listed. “The better distribution of the police force was a great help to the system.”
The National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq) supplies the Paper-free Port with registration data of all vessels visiting the port: with Brazilian flags, foreign flags and those under charter.
Fernando Serra, Statistics manager of Antaq, recalled the challenge it was to plot all information into the project’s database, but has now announced the next endeavor:
“The harmonization of port registration.”
SPEED ALSO IN RELEASING THE CARGO
The Paper-free Port is being integrated to the Federal Revenue Single Foreign Trade Portal – an initiative to modernize and simplify freight and transit control. Integration eliminates redundancies between the two systems and is part of the Maritime Single Window (MSW), which since January 1st is mandatory for IMO member-States.
Fiscal auditor Alexandre Zambrano, manager of the Single Portal, explained that the tool is a kind of single window for importers and exporters in order to deal with only one database in which all the required information is included for foreign trade. In 2014, the players in this market had to interact with 22 public agencies intervening in the market, according to Zambrano:
“Data was repeated, very often in sequence, with the dispatch of original documents and papers around the country, moving administrative processes leading to time delay and cost rises, and a drop in competitiveness.”
To have an idea of the results of de-bureaucratization with the Single Portal, the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) undertook an economic impact study. In 2014, the average time taken for cargo to enter port and load for overseas destinations was 13 days; in 2020, it took 4.8 days. This caused a drop in the Brazil Cost (Custo Brasil ) from 13% to 4% in the period. There was also a savings of BRL 250 billion with the streamlining procedures”, the auditor added.
The Paper-free Port project was accelerated by the Startup gov.br program of the Ministry of
BRUNO NERI, DIRECTOR OF
Administration and Innovation in public services (MGI). The platform involves multidisciplinary teams to leverage high-impact projects. In order to select a project, criteria are considered, such as the number of beneficiaries, promotion of economic and social development and resource economics.
“Criteria in which the Paper-free Port fitted perfectly. The project has a direct impact on Brazil Cost”, – concluded Loyane de Sousa Tavares, director of the MGI Digital Transformation Diffusion of the Digital Government Secretariat. “The process becomes faster and more reliable.”
The event also had a presentation from the Federal Data Processing Service (Serpro). The institutional advisor on Brazilian Pilots, Wilson Cruz, welcomed the delegates and introduced to them the ship maneuver simulation center of the Brazilian Pilotage Institute. The secretary Alex Sandro de Ávila thanked the pilots for their support in the seminar.
On April 5th, he attended another event in the Brazilian Pilots’ Institute – the workshop Governance in Brazilian Ports, also hosted by the Ministry of Ports.
WILSON CRUZ INTRODUCES SIMULATORS TO THE DELEGATES
photo: Arthur Tanabe
Fifty years since the construction of the Rio-Niterói Bridge
Over 50 years, pilotage has guaranteed the safe back and forth of ships under the bridge and throughout Guanabara Bay where it is located
The Rio-Niterói Bridge was 50 years old on March 4th. Every day around 150,000 vehicles traffic over it, but under it are also oil tankers laden with oil, gas and other freight. The vessels are steered by pilots to the terminals north of the bridge, very often unnoticed by people who live in the area. On that side of the bridge alone there are more than 30 mooring points, in addition to anchoring spots.
Many of the ships sailing below in Guanabara Bay measure 300 meters in length, the same as the central span, the longest continuous straight girder in the world.
When the Bridge was inaugurated, pilots only operated in Rio de Janeiro, Niterói and Guaíba island. Over the years, other port areas were created and included in the Pilotage Zone 15, extending environment protection throughout the state.
To steer the vessels in Guanabara Bay, the pilots board the ship in motion around 3.5 miles from Santa Cruz Fort in Niterói. From the top of a building in Mauá Square, with a stunning view of the Bay, not only cameras and environmental sensors monitor the traffic but also pilot operators lend support to the pilot’s work on board.
In the Bay, in addition to the terminals north of the Bridge, the pilots guide the ships to berth in the ports of Rio de Janeiro and Niterói. Every day is a challenge. After all, no maneuver is the same, since ships are very different, each behaving differently in restricted water dynamics. Furthermore, there may be problems during a maneuver, such as machine failure, locked rudder or even an outage, as in the case of the container vessel that had successive blackouts and collided against the Baltimore bridge (USA), on March 26. Unexpected environmental conditions could also arise, with winds and currents above the operating limits.
THE RIO-NITERÓI BRIDGE VIEWED FROM THE BRIDGE OF A CONTAINER SHIP
photo: Gustavo Stephan
Throughout the Bridge’s 50 years, the pilot role has proven essential against accidents on the Bridge and throughout the Bay where it is located. The only most serious accident was with an abandoned ship, which was mooring and drifted after the mooring rope broke due to bad weather, colliding against the bridge and causing its closure. This occurred in 2022. Pilot Rafael Dracxler heard about the episode on television and immediately left to board the pilot boat, since he was the first on the roster.
With tug support, he carried out the delicate operation of towing the vessel to the Port of Rio, a task that took five and a half hours. Dracxler needed to maneuver a 200-long rust-covered vessel, with no power, propulsion or any shipping instrument, to accelerate the reopening of the bridge.
In 2020, the bad weather almost caused another serious accident on the Niterói coast, with a giant Petrobras rig weighing 78,000 tons. Winds of around 40 knots and heavy rain impacting the Bay caused the failure of two platform moorings. Pilot Marcello Camara had to act fast and use the four tugs available at that moment to prevent it crashing onto the shore.
Some years earlier, in 2016, one month before the Olympic Games, a jammed rudder almost caused an environmental disaster in the Bay if it were not for pilot intervention.
After boarding a gas tanker to take him to a Petrobras terminal, pilot Diogo Weberszpil saw that the helmsman was unable to control the rudder after it locked to starboard. The ship at 7-knot speed was approaching Santa Cruz Fort, running the risk of colliding against the rocks and exploding. That was when Weberszpil asked the pilot operations center to stop and divert all vessel traffic around the Bay. He was forced to carry out an emergency maneuver, avoiding a collision a hundred meters from the Fort, right at the entrance to the bar.
“Due to our constant simulator training, I was quick to take the measures required to prevent imminent collision. Fortunately, I managed to get the vessel away from the rocks”, he said at that time.
In addition to unexpected factors, navigating in the Bay means challenges such as heavy traffic of cargo ships, port support vessels and small craft (fishing and leisure), which seldom answer radio calls. Pilot Otavio Fragoso, from ZP-15, also mentions among the challenges natural obstacles such as the narrowing at the entrance to the bar, or constructions, such as Rio-Niterói bridge itself, and the fact that many of the channels are a single route.
Pilot Dracxler has already sailed with an oil tanker under one of the side spans of the bridge because of a fishing boat in the middle span. He said that in situations of emergency ships carrying
SAILING INTO THE SUNRISE
photo: Luiz Oliveira
oil, they can sail under lateral spans designed for smaller freight vessels. For safety’s sake, regardless of the freight, every ship of a certain size must sail under the bridge accompanied by tugs, as well as, in fact, every vessel carrying explosive or flammable freight.
“That day I was with a medium-to-large oil tanker and was forced to use the middle span. Suddenly a fishing boat appeared. I had to use the side span. It was not as risky as trying to stop the ship in front of the bridge. That would most likely have caused a collision. It’s not a normal situation but most pilots in Rio have experienced that in their careers,” he mentioned. “We have problems in radio contact with these small vessels. What we usually do is sound the ship’s siren. In most cases, the mariner is aware he has to leave the channel and manages to get out of the way in time.”
An accident with a large ship not only could cause fatalities, environmental and material damage, but also has a strong economic impact. In the Baltimore bridge collision in March the traffic was suspended and more than 40 vessels were stuck in port, including small freight carriers, tugs and leisure craft. At least another 30 waited in the Bay to reach Baltimore, besides those already seaward bound. European terminals were crammed full of cargo bound to Baltimore.
The port is the deepest in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, and nearest to the mid-West than others on the eastern coast, with five public
and 12 private terminals. In 2023, it shifted 52.3 million tons of merchandise to the value of USD 80 billion. It is the busiest US port in terms of vehicles, farm and construction machinery, and one of the coal-carrying record breakers.
In the accident, six repair workers on the bridge died. The action of two pilots onboard calling to stop traffic on the bridge avoided an even higher number of deaths. In the last ten years, according to the latest report published by Allianz Safety and Shipping Review, machine malfunctions or failures during shipping have been responsible for the majority (39%) of shipping incidents around the world.
In Rio de Janeiro, the pilot operations center has direct contact with the concessionaire managing the bridge, in case there is an emergency that must be informed by the pilot by radio. In addition to the use of tugs, there are speed control protocols and on-site air draft checks restricted to 60 meters.
According to Marcello Camarinha, vice-president of Brazilian Pilots, and active pilot in Rio, there is also serious concern in managing the meeting of ships sailing under the bridge, north and south through the three spans – in the middle, the traffic occurs in both directions, while in the lateral spans the directions are single-file (North-South and South-North).
photo:
Rafael
Dracxler
The effects of climate change in pilotage zones
How pilots from different regions adapt to minimize impacts on the operations
Despite the few data on the impacts of climate change in port areas and access channels, some influence is noticeable in the operations for whoever is, for some time, on the frontline of ship maneuvering. To a greater or lesser scale, once atypical or fewer events are now requiring pilotage to adapt and invest in order to maintain safety and efficiency of the maritime transport. Rumos Práticos listened to representatives of some pilotage zones (ZPs) and brings new realities faced by pilots in different regions.
Starting with the Amazon, during the 2023 drought, the rivers had their lowest levels in 120 years. According to the World Weather Attribution (WWA) study, the probability of drought occurring in the region increased 30 times. And it is not due only to the impact of El Niño, a natural phenomenon that makes North and Northeast
Brazil drier and hotter. El Niño reduced the quantity of rainfall in the region to approximately the same proportion as climate change, according to the study. The rise in temperature – determinant for the forest evapotranspiration – was primordial, and not only the drought relating to El Nino.
“The dry river is an appropriate setting for running aground, and we had to intensify our bathymetric checks (depth surveys) to reduce ships’ keel and speed to diminish the adverse effects of shallow water. Moreover, it was necessary to adapt, together with the Brazilian Navy, the minimum maneuvering frequency rules per pilot, in order to adjust to a smaller number of vessels in our waters”, informs Adonis dos Santos, president of the Cooperative for the Pilotage Zone 1 Pilots’ Support and Logistics (Unipilot), active in the East Amazon Basin.
photo: Gustavo Stephan
Overcrowded anchorage, especially in Itacoatiara (AM), was a reflection of the drought in the region and required more expertise from the pilots on the job, according to Adonis dos Santos.
Paulo Cesar Machado, general manager of Manaus Pilots, mentions that many vessels don't even sail to Itacoatiara, staying over in Vila do Conde (Pará-PA). In Pilotage Zone 2 (Western Amazon Basin), ships with larger draft only pass through critical stretches of the Amazon River in the daytime, namely the mouth of Madeira River and the Tabocal coast, between Itacoatiara and Manaus (Amazon-AM). At the peak of the dry season, those ships were unable to cross these stretches for 40 days.
The shallow depths affected even the smallest draft gas vessels, forcing them to perform ship-to-ship operations to transfer cargo. Normally, this is done in Codajás (Amazon-AM) on the Solimões River, but with the historic drought, the operations were necessary in Itacoatiara on the Amazon River.
The ZP-2 pilots also needed to increase the frequency and efficiency of the surveys to find deeper passages, ensuring a little more draft for the ships. Also, during the drought, shipowners request the pilotage for an extra bathymetry service on the eve of the crossing, which helps find deeper points for the ship to cross with heavier cargo.
In Southeast Brazil, hydrographer Helder Puia, technical support manager of São Paulo Pilotage, comments that sudden climate changes are more and more constant in Santos, with stronger winds (on March 21, 72 knots was recorded, equal to 133 km/h)
and larger waves. He has worked in pilotage for 12 years and is responsible for bathymetry, oceanography and meteorology:
“On April 2, 2023, a wave of 4.40 meters hit us. And on December 31, in midsummer, we had 2.20-meter waves. These changes have occurred more often and we are ready for them, by investing in motorboats that help the pilots board under more severe maritime conditions, using forecasting and environmental sensors providing data to take a decision regarding the safety of the operations. Along the Port of Santos, we have tide gauges, five weather stations, two buoys measuring height and wave period and five current meters in order to inform real-time data for our Center of Traffic Coordination, Communications and Operations (C3OT).
Otavio Fragoso, pilot in Rio de Janeiro State (ZP-15) since 1987, says that it is noticeable that poor weather has become more extreme and frequent than in the past, in line with the climate change specialists’ analysis. He says that over the years, there have been significant changes in the ZP’s weather conditions, since the change in the date of worsening ocean conditions (stronger wind and increased wave height):
“In the past, the sea was very calm during the summer months (December to the end of March), with heavy rainfall eventually. We would only have bad weather with the arrival of cold fronts in July and August. Over the years, the bad weather has extended to September and then to October. And nowadays we have cold fronts arriving as early as summer and stormy seas even in November. Even on very sunny days with little local wind, frequent adverse ocean conditions are created by strong winds in areas farther from the coast. In the Campos and Santos basins, reports from maritime support vessels are almost always adverse, with strong currents and winds and high waves.
In Açu Port, where the pilots have worked less time, despite the pilotage subzone having more hostile conditions, he mentions that in recent years there are fewer days of very strong sea and winds compared to the start of the port operation.
“A change evidencing the deterioration of the ZP meteorological conditions is the progressive increase in the sizes and characteristics of the pilot boats. Thirty years ago, we used 30-ft boats. Today, we no longer have boats under 40 ft. They have much greater displacement and are far better equipped than the old ones. Nevertheless, despite better prepared equipment, my impression is that we have more days when the arrival and departure of ships are restricted due to meteorology."
Just like São Paulo, the Rio technology permits following up the conditions based on environmental sensors and applications.
“A very useful tool in ZP-15 is real-time monitoring, using meteoceanographic buoys and other sensors. We monitor
DROUGHT IN THE AMAZON
photo:
environmental parameters such as wind direction and intensity, including gusts; current direction and intensity (at different levels along the water column); wave height, direction and period; sea-level height; and visibility. This is very helpful for us at the moments preceding a maneuvre, as well as during its performance, adding safety. We also use different applications of environmental forecast tools, one of which is MEF (Marine Environmental Forecast), developed by the Brazilian Navy Hydrography Center. They contribute to maneuvre planning”, explains hydrographer and pilot Marcelo Fricks.
In Paranaguá (Paraná-PR), the monitoring and readiness of the pilots prevented an accident with a 330-meter container ship, on March 21. Aware of the arrival of a strong cold front that day, the operations center and first pilot on duty were on stand-by and acted quickly. The bow cables ripped apart with 50-knot winds and the ship opened onto the underwater rockfall to starboard in the Surdinho Canal. After the vessel’s call, the pilotage remotely actioned the tugs, to prevent the vessel from hitting the rocks. In less than 15 minutes, pilot Victor Demaison was on board to control the situation.
Heading Southwards, in Itajaí (Santa Catarina-SC), the weather has become increasingly complex and difficult to foresee with any certainty, even with the widely used traditional models, comments Kelly Greicy, only representative of ZP-21 pilotage service.
In the last quarter of 2023, extreme events with heavy rain significantly affected the activities throughout the port complex of Itajaí and Navegantes. In that period, 30 days were completely impractical and another 45 days of feasibility with restrictions, due to some environmental factor (wind, current or wave).
“Considering the last ten years in our region, we have faced huge work challenges, in conjunction with the Maritime and Port authorities, to benefit more from windows of opportunity to maneuvre within acceptable risks for shipping safety. Our service continues to be active. We do real-time monitoring of currents, wind, waves and depth at small intervals, to collect data that enable us to analyze and predict windows of opportunity. To do so, we use motorboats fitted with modern eco-bathymeter equipment and a specific tool (HydroSurveyor) that can very accurately gather current and depth data”, emphasizes Kelly.
ZP-21 is located at the mouth of the River Itajaí-Açu, with navigation and maneuvers performed in a very restricted area, strongly influenced by environmental factors. Despite the challenges, the service successfully attends the ships up to 350-meters in length and 52-meters in width, which requires know-how and expertise of the activity. Portable electronic pilot units (PPUs) are used as an aid to risk management in almost all maneuvers. In addition to the equipment, pilotage invests in studies and simulations so that decision-making is more assertive and productive for the port complex.
In the ZP-20 area of Lagoa dos Patos and its tributaries, the climate phenomena have resonated in recent years to cause record flooding (not so frequent) and dry seasons (more frequent).
If, on one hand, the floods provide greater clearances under the ship keel, on the other, the pilots face stronger currents and, regularly, a large number of the 150 waterway buoys disappear or are off position. The pilots work in partnership with the waterway concessionaire to inform the positioning of the buoys and keep shipping on the move, with the help of PPUs. In May, during the unprecedented flood affecting Rio Grande do Sul, it was necessary to declare infeasibility in ZP. The current was over six knots.
The problem in dry seasons is the shallowness in critical areas. The pilots’ knowledge of the area, the routine debriefings after each crossing and again the PPUs help navigate accurately and safely to and from Rio Grande and Porto Alegre.
“We adapt our routes by varying the defeats in search of deeper areas, we sail at a slower pace to reduce the squat and bench effects, and independently or in conjunction with the RS ports, we take bathymetries in the shallower stretches. This partnership with the port authorities, headed by the Brazilian Navy, has proven essential to keep shipping safe and smooth-running on the Lagoa dos Patos and its tributaries”, explains pilot José Bedran Simões, sole representative of the ZP-20 service.
STUDIES
In 2023, the National Waterway Transportation Agency took the first step to fill the gap of information which, if it remained unknown, could hinder the efficiency and regularity of the operations. In partnership with the German government, the agency completed a climate risk survey for 21 Brazilian public ports and their measures to adapt to the challenge of the impacts of climate change.
The results generally indicate that there is no pattern of climate risk increase or decrease per region, since, in the same geographic area, it was possible to identify ports with different levels of climate risk for threatening storms, gales and increase in sea level.
Gales were the risks that proved to be critical: seven of the 21 ports already have a high or very high risk, and this number may increase to 16 ports in the RCP 8.5 issue scenario by 2050 (scenario of high greenhouse gas concentration in the air).
For storm risks and increase in the sea level, the results classified as high or very high are still the same or with little variation. By 2050, the projection of these results – in relation to both threats – includes 11 ports.
During the same period and emission scenario, it was the Northeastern region which presented most ports with high or very high level of risks of gales and storms, the same as in the South with regard to the increase in sea level.
Researchers found it difficult to evaluate the measures already taken by some ports, "possibly due to the lack of monitoring". According to the study, few ports adopt structural and non-structural resilience measures. For example, today only 28.57% of them address the topic in their strategic planning and hold meetings to discuss adaptations.
Concerning the rivers, the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA) launched in January the first edition of the study "Impact of Climate Change on Brazilian Water Resources". Northern Brazil tends to have a drop in the average rainfall flows and volume and a prospect of more frequent and intense drought. In addition to the Brazilian Merchant Navy, this situation affects the mobility of more isolated communities, which depend on shipping for mobility and supplies. The Federal Government is studying measures to minimize the impacts.
The concern with climate change and its consequences has caused the Brazilian Hydrography Society (SBHidro) to include the panel “The role of hydrography in environmental monitoring to benefit commercial shipping” in the Brazilian Hydrography Symposium in June.
“The studies on climate change need a robust long time-scale data set. The panel’s discussion contributes to highlighting the relevance of adopting measures to upgrade environmental monitoring, both for immediate effects and to subsidize long-term strategic decisions containing the influences of climate change”, says rear-admiral Carlos Augusto Chaves Leal Silva, technical director of SBHidro, a non-profitable organization created in 2019.
FLOODED BRASKEM TERMINAL, RIO GRANDE DO SUL
photo: José Simões
One woman among so many sailors
Learn about Genny Souza, the ultra-marathoner who steers port pilot boats and mooring rafts in the Port of Santos
With her 15 years’ experience gained in the pilot mariner profession, 51-year-old Genny Souza braves the waters in Santos (São Paulo-SP), the second largest port in Latin America. Dedication and perseverance are characteristics that have become iconic in a challenging job in a predominantly male universe.
Genny carries baggage that has shaped her career so far. Before her immersion in pilotage, she was a guard in São Sebastião port, a job which kept her far from her children Manoel and Richelle, and her grandchildren – 4-year-old Maria Alice and 10-year-old Valenttina – the apples of her eye.
Since then, she nurtured the desire for a more comfortable life closer to her family. Still in São Sebastião, she discovered the sailor’s job. There she was outsourced for three years, helping in embarking and disembarking pilots and conserving the pilot boats.
Her move to Santos in 2008 also changed her life. Today, she substitutes colleagues as boat master of the boats which embark and disembark the pilots in port and steers the mooring boats that carry the ships’ cables to the dolphins wherever there are no continuous quays. Also, Genny works as a second crew on the boats embarking and disembarking pilots outside the bar, helping the pilot on duty to board and alight from the moving ship, ready to act in their rescue should they fall into the sea.
The beginning wasn’t easy. After undertaking a selection process, she faced the mistrust of an environment still dominated by men. But her determination and willingness achieved with bodybuilding and running – she is an ultramarathoner – took her beyond expectations. The heavy cables that need to be routinely moved are no obstacle for her.
“I dislocated my arm grabbing a cable. I’ve got two pins in my shoulder. You have to take care and, sometimes, there are problems such as the wind. But I’m 100% in great shape, I feel wonderful!"
Genny not only found her place but also prospered. She says that she qualified as a deckhand (MNC), which enables her to steer the boats for the pilots to board and disembark off the bar, in future internal opportunities. For the moment, on these boats,
she only helps the pilots to board and disembark, which is a great responsibility – she has already rescued two pilots who fell overboard.
“We throw the boat’s own buoy to rescue them. It’s hard work pulling a person from the sea.”
The mariner is also a voice of encouragement for women who aspire to follow in her footsteps in non-traditional careers. Her message is clear: there are no limits to what a woman can achieve.
photo: personal file
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way. We can be anything we want. We have found our place”, she states with conviction.
She stresses, however, that they need to be able to cope in an environment reactive to women:
“The guys have learned to respect me.”
Outside the Port of Santos, Genny strengthens her body and mind by long distance running. She has already run a 75km race and is training for another of 100 km. She was introduced to the sport on medical advice, in order to prevent her frequent headaches:
“I was bitten by the running bug. I love running. I feel active, much fitter.”
She mentions that among the major challenges when steering pilot boats are the rainfall and poor visibility.
“Not one day is the same as another, just as no maneuver is the same either.”
photo: SP Pilotage
Paris is imminent, but Isaquias Queiroz is already aiming for Los Angeles
After moving to Lagoa Santa (Minas Gerais) where he trains, the canoeist gave up his retirement in France
His dream of becoming the top Brazilian athlete may be less than two months away for canoeist Isaquias Queiroz, who will participate in the Paris Games in pursuit of another two Olympic medals. Today he has four: gold in Tokyo in 2020, and two silver and one bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The best news is that, although he will achieve his objective, he will be able to go farther since his retirement plans have been put on hold: he will only hang his oars up after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Backed by Brazil Pilots since the preparatory cycle for Tokyo –when he won the gold in the C1 1000m race –, he’s in the final training stretch for the French capital. The canoeing tests at speeds C1 1000m and C2 500m, in which he will double with a yet to be named partner, are scheduled for August. Until then the objective
is to intensify his training and be lighter, as instructed by his coach Lauro de Souza Junior, but without losing strength and endurance. Weight loss was the strategy considered to obtain an edge, since he has achieved exceptional velocity levels.
"Lauro said: 'Our boat is fast, and you’re already a good rower... we have to reduce your weight to go as fast as possible'", says the 30-year old athlete. “In Tokyo, I weighed 84kg. We plan to reach 82kg. I’m better than in Japan in terms of endurance and strength. Possibly there’s a good chance of my repeating the result (in Paris).
It’s no wonder he’s optimistic. His training load in Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais, where Isaquias lives with his family, has never been more intense. In Paris, in the C2 500m, the strategy will be new.
photo: Bruno Haddad
The athlete will be at the front of the canoe, adding more speed, while his partner behind will be steering the canoe. The idea is that, in the four years in Los Angeles, the positions will be inverted and a younger athlete takes the front.
“In the past two months (March and April), it was total focus. We redid what we call our training background since 2013, to develop as much as possible. We’ll be as fit as possible in Paris. Given the investment we made, we hope for a good result”, states Isaquias, recalling that the training had been conceived by his mentor and former Spanish coach, Jesús Morlán, who died in 2018 after losing his battle against cancer.
The proximity of his family has been further encouragement. In 2023, after attempting to live in Bahia, where he was born, and his wife Laina Guimarães and six-year old son Sebastian lived, the athlete was disappointed with the lack of support from the authorities, and decided to return to where he felt most welcome: Lagoa Santa. He was training in those waters, in fact, when he got the news of his second heir, Luigi, born on August 4 last year. Like Sebastian, Luigi was born in Belo Horizonte.
“My best results were after I had my family. Since 2017, with Laina and Sebastian, that was when I performed best.”
In Paris, the family force will still be with Isaquias. At the last Olympic Games, he was not permitted to take them with him because of the pandemic.
“I would like the three of them to be there in Paris seeing me compete for the medal and, God willing, I will be on the podium to hear the Brazilian anthem and for them to enjoy that moment with me.”
In Los Angeles, the boys might also see their father on the podium. The setback in Bahia postponed Isaquias’ retirement.
“I thought Paris would be my last Olympic Games because I wanted to go back to Bahia, which I left when I was 15 years old (to train
in the national team). But my State didn’t give me the support I deserved. And, in Lagoa Santa, the people really appreciate me. So, I decided to return there and said: 'Honey, if I return, I’ll go to Los Angeles'”, says the Bahian from Ubaitaba.
On his return to Minas Gerais, he bought two houses, settled down, now also with his mother close by, and got to work. In his first international competition this year, in early May, he won two gold medals at the World Cup in Hungary in the C1 500m and C1 1000m competitions. The contest was a good opportunity for the Brazilian to observe the performance of his future adversaries, since it was a selection process for the Europeans to go to Paris.
In Brazil, six athletes from the national team train for the C2 500m, a contest for which the country guaranteed two doubles in France. From the performance, one of the four places belongs to Isaquias, who will also compete in the C1 1000m.
“Our national selection is carried out during training. The athlete who is best at training, dedicating the most, goes to the Olympics. Lauro de Souza Junior wants to place the fastest in the boats with whoever steers best”, explains the Olympic champion.
In the C1 1000m, the main rivals against the Brazilian are the Czech Martin Fuksa, Rumanian Catalin Chirila and German Sebastian Brendel, competitor and friend who inspired Isaquias to give his first son his name.
When he returns to Brazil after the Olympic Games, the athlete plans to visit the pilotage zone, just as he did when he returned from Tokyo with his gold medal around his neck. He and Laina visited the Rio de Janeiro operations center and accompanied the boarding of a pilot in Guanabara Bay.
“The pilots have believed in my work for a long time. Nothing better than to win, visit the company, show the medal and meet the employees.”
Here, you have a lot of fans, Isaquias. Onward, with strength and courage!
photos: Bruno Haddad
PORTS ACT
THE DIRECTOR OF THE BRAZILIAN PILOTS’ INSTITUTE IS ON THE COMMITTEE FOR LEGISLATION REVIEW
Jacqueline Wendpap, executive director of the Brazilian Pilots’ Institute, is a member of the special committee installed by the House of Representatives to review the Ports Act no. 12,815 in force for almost 11 years. By the second semester the group of 15 legal experts should discuss and submit a proposed review of the framework regulating the direct and indirect exploration by the Government of ports and port facilities. Douglas Alencar Rodrigues, minister of the Superior Labor Court (TST), chairs the committee, which has as rapporteur Celso Peel, judge of the Regional Labor Court (TRT) of the 2nd Region (São Paulo-SP). The group requested suggestions from Brazilian Pilots.
WOMEN
MEMORANDUM OF REPUDIATION AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE
In March, Brazilian Pilots issued a memorandum when it learned about the case of the female officer of a ship, victim of bullying and sexual harassment by crew members of another vessel. The episode registered in a police precinct occurred on March 9th in the Port of Chibatão (Manaus), when she and the foreign crew members were taken in a vehicle from the gatehouse to the pier where their ships were moored. Brazilian Pilots provided the officer with solidarity and repudiated any act of the type against women. The Maritime Labor Convention (MLC), ratified by more than 90 countries, stresses that any professional is entitled to a safe and protected workplace.
CONDOLENCES
NOTE OF CONDOLENCE FOR PILOTS’ DEATH
Brazil Pilots is deeply sorry for the death of pilot Bruno Senna, on February 2, and pilot Marco Antonio Martins, on April 8. Both performed their work with proficiency and enthusiasm, protecting the rivers of the Eastern Amazon Basin (Pilotage Zone 01). We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those much-loved pilots.
BRUNO SENNA MARCO ANTONIO MARTINS
UK PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES THE SAFE HAVEN PROGRAM
The UK Maritime Pilots’ Association (UKMPA) launched the “Safe Haven” mental health support program to cope with problems related to the job or general circumstances. "During my time working at sea, I have witnessed fellow colleagues struggling with their mental health but feeling unable to open up due to the stigma and negative attitudes surrounding the subject. I strongly believe those days are behind us, and we should feel free to openly discuss these issues and support one another through difficult times, with the hope of preventing their condition from worsening. Recent cases have shown that speaking to a fellow colleague or someone outside of your workforce can significantly help with the process and prevent the anxiety and possibly depression that may affect those involved after an incident or accident", stresses pilot James Musgrove.
ACTIONS IN BENEFIT OF THE POPULATION IN RIO GRANDE DO SUL
Brazilian Pilots took a series of actions for those made homeless because of the flood in Rio Grande do Sul. In addition to donations, Brazilian Pilots decided to grant a discount in the price of the coastal shipping service carrying humanitarian aid, in proportion to the volume of contribution. If the ship carried 10% of aid in the total freight, for example, this would be the discount. Also, 11.6 tons of mineral water and thousands of items, such as bed and bath linen, toiletries, food and pet food were transported from the airbase in Brasilia. Support was also given by the distribution of around 6,000 meals in Canoas, with voluntary work by the Entrepreneur Rotary Club. The local pilot stations or individual pilots also collaborated.
photo: Publicity
MEDIA SUCCESS
PARTNERSHIP
The video published in partnership with captain Simone Lopes and officer Rafaela Acioly, stressing the importance of the pilot’s work on board, already has 92,000 views and almost 4,000 likes on Instagram. The publication achieved 70% of non-followers for the profile of Brazilian Pilots, successfully meeting the goal to inform about the profession. We are grateful to the couple for the production and to the Rio de Janeiro pilot Marcelo Seixas, for participation in the MPX filming – first exchange of information between pilot and captain, before the start of the maneuver.
PARTNERSHIP 2
Another video published in partnership, with a good audience in Brazil Pilots’ Instagram, shows the boarding of pilot Romulo Sobral in Paranaguá, from the moment he leaves the pilot boat. His profile on Instagram is @welcomemrpilot, in which there are scenes from his work as a marine pilot in the ports of Paraná. The film was made in a single take with a camera on his helmet. The publication in the two profiles already has 21,000 views and more than a thousand likes.
SÃO PAULO IN FOCUS
Two other videos have been highlighted, in the period, on the role of São Paulo Pilots. The first reached 53,000 users and shows the route taken by the 366-meter ships that berth in the Port of Santos. The second focuses on the intervention of the pilot team – pilots, operators and mariners –to prevent an accident with a 300-meter container ship. The mooring cables broke after winds of around 100 km/h, and the vessel was lying perpendicular to the quay, almost adrift, requiring speed and agility from the workers. The publication was seen by 38,000 users.
The date for the 2nd Port Planning Seminar is now set. The event will be held on September 3rd, again in the Prodigy hotel Conventions Center, installed in Santos Dumont Airport, Rio de Janeiro.
The first event, in 2023, attracted more than 200 delegates, including representatives of universities, companies and the port community. The event, in four panels, addressed the international recommendations for preparing port designs or changes to existing ports.
The topics are grouped in the book Planejamento portuário –recomendações para acessos náuticos [Port Planning – recommendations for nautical accesses] published by Brazilian Pilots and available at praticagemdobrasil.org.br, in the Publications sector.
We will soon be informing the program and further details.
