Paraguay River Waterway Expands Navigation and Ensures Transport of Over 1.4 Million Tons of Cargo in MS, According to Antaq

After a Long Drought and Suspension of Product Movement Operations on the Waterway, the Paraguay River Resumed Its Usual Navigation in 2022 and, According to Antaq, More Than 1.4 Million Tons of Freight Were Transported Only in MS.

The National Agency for Waterway Transportation (Antaq) released the freight movement results for the first 4 months of the year and, this Monday, (20/06), the state of Mato Grosso do Sul continues to grow in the transportation of goods. This is because more than 1.4 million tons of cargo were transported during this period via the Paraguay River waterway, which resumed its usual activities this year after a drought period.

After Drought Period, Paraguay River Waterway Normalizes Freight Transportation Operations in 2022 and Ensures Good Movement of Goods for MS

The year 2021 was heavily marked by a long drought period on the Paraguay River, which even caused the suspension of cargo transportation operations via the waterway. However, normalization occurred throughout 2022 and, this week, the river reached a level of 3.1 meters, thus achieving a good volume for the realization of new cargo transportation operations via the waterway. 

Moreover, the normalization throughout 2022 ensured good results for the region of the river in cargo movement, as Antaq announced that the state of Mato Grosso do Sul registered the movement of 1.4 million tons of cargo through state ports in the first quadrimester of the year, using the waterway.

Among this volume, the highlight was iron ore with 1.3 million tons, followed by seeds and other grains and pig iron. Although this result was 10% lower than the same period in 2021, it still confirms a significant resumption of operations.

Iron ore is one of the main productions of the state and, due to the high demand from the national market, it also has a great prominence in transportation via the waterway. Furthermore, the movement of the product was boosted due to a new company that arrived in the region earlier this month in the mining sector of Corumbá, MPP (Mineração Pirâmide e Participações), which exported to Europe through the Granel Química port in Ladário, using the Paraguay River as a route. 

Paraguay River Waterway Is Essential for the Development of Mato Grosso do Sul and Representatives Celebrate Antaq’s Good Results

After the good results released by Antaq regarding cargo movement on the Paraguay River by the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, state representatives highlighted the importance of the waterway for the region. This is because the river is a fundamental route not only for freight transportation but also for essential economic movement for the development of the state.

Thus, the Secretary of Production, Environment, Economic Development, and Family Agriculture (Semagro), Jaime Elias Verruck, emphasized the importance of the waterway for various segments of the state: “For Bolivia, the waterway guarantees all the export and import flow of Santa Cruz de La Sierra. In Corumbá, after last year’s issues, we feel a resumption in transportation. In addition to the tourist appeal. We are mainly talking about transportation. We already have two mining companies operating and now two more have started operations. We have four mining companies using the waterway.”

And, with the increasing level of the waterway and Antaq’s good results in the first 4 months of the year, the government of Mato Grosso do Sul is becoming increasingly optimistic regarding the use of the Paraguay River for even greater economic growth in the upcoming months.