During the panel “Multimodality and the National Logistics Plan 2050”, held at EXPOLOG 2024, experts discussed the challenges and opportunities for transport infrastructure in Brazil. Moderated by Mário Povia, CEO of the Brazilian Infrastructure Institute (IBI), the meeting addressed crucial topics such as energy transition, tax reform, and multimodal connectivity.
“A country with the territorial extension of Brazil necessarily needs to advance in multimodality. This is of fundamental importance, especially due to the large distances and high volumes of cargo, particularly from agribusiness and mining. Therefore, it becomes indispensable to integrate road and rail transport, in addition to including maritime transport in the context of exports,” stated Marcelo Maranhão, president of the Union of Freight Transport and Logistics Companies of the State of Ceará and institutional director of FETRANSLOG-NE.
Data presented by the National Confederation of Transport (CNT) revealed a worrying scenario: only 14% of federal highways are classified as good or excellent. This situation contributes to high operational costs in road transport, which in Ceará reach up to 40%. The research, which analyzed 141,853 km of highways, highlighted the superior performance of toll roads compared to public roads, a result of higher investments per kilometer.
Among the good news, the highlight was the R$ 3.6 billion investment for the completion of the Transnordestina Railway, a strategic project to expand access to Ceará's ports and boost regional competitiveness. The Secretary of Infrastructure of Ceará, Hélio Winston Leitão, highlighted the state's advantages, including legal security, fiscal balance, and political stability.
Multimodality was highlighted as essential to reducing road dependence. Daniel Rose, CEO of APM Terminals Pecém, emphasized the importance of more sustainable solutions, such as strengthening waterway transport, expanding coastal shipping, and investing in railways. The transition to clean energy was also cited as a pillar of Brazilian neo-industrialization.
Another central point of the debate was the National Logistics Plan 2050, currently under development by INFRA SA. As an evolution of the current National Logistics Plan 2035, it seeks to integrate land, air, waterway, and port transport modes.
The panel highlighted the critical challenges facing logistics infrastructure, but also pointed to viable solutions. With the strategic application of resources and the continuation of structural reforms, Brazil can transform its transportation matrix, reducing costs and increasing efficiency in the sector.
19th EXPOLOG
Organized by Prática Eventos and promoted by the Union of Freight Transport and Logistics Companies of the State of Ceará (SETCARCE), Instituto Future and Diário do Nordeste, in partnership with the Brazil-Portugal Chamber of Commerce in Ceará (CBP/CE), the event is supported by a technical committee of 66 specialists from national entities, institutions and companies. This committee has developed exclusive content to guarantee a high-quality learning experience.
At a time when sustainability and corporate responsibility are more important than ever, EXPOLOG 2024 presents itself as an essential event for professionals and companies that wish to lead the transformation of the logistics sector. This is an unmissable meeting for all those seeking to be at the forefront of the changes and innovations that will define the future of global logistics.
