Cabotagem

Cabotage system in Brazil: Understand how it works!

When we talk about cabotage, we are addressing coastal shipping within a country, that is, when cargo is transported between national ports using the waterway transport method. But, do you know what the cabotage system is like in Brazil?

In order to discuss this system, it is necessary to understand how the country's cargo transportation system works, making a small historical outline of this sector, mainly addressing the most used transportation systems in the country in recent centuries and also today. 

Historically, Brazil has been a country that, since the end of the 19th century, has come to depend on the rail system for the transportation of cargo and people, this being the first national transport mode. In the twentieth century, the governments in force started to invest heavily in the construction of highways, making this modal become predominant.

Despite this, the shipbuilding industry played an extremely important role before the implementation of the railroads and also after the great advance of the highways 

As we know, Brazil was colonized by the arrival of Portuguese and other nations, and all embarked in the country by ships and used this vehicle to make the necessary movements between the explored lands.

Years later, with the arrival of the Portuguese royal family in Brazilian lands, at the beginning of the 19th century, the shipbuilding industry was strengthened, remaining that way until the mid-1930s, when the current government decided to strengthen the capacity of the highways, leaving aside the investments in the implementation of an effective cabotage system in Brazil.

Subsequently, in the mid-1970s, the shipbuilding industry and the cabotage system once again took an active role in Brazilian transportation. Currently, we still have a predominance of rail transport modes and, mainly, the road sector, which is responsible for more than 60% of national cargo transport. Meanwhile, the cabotage system in Brazil holds about 11% of the cargo transport capacity.

How does the cabotage system work in brazil?

How does the cabotage system work in brazil?

The operation of the cabotage system in Brazil is simple, working in the same way as in other countries, but with an important advantage, which is the vast coastal area of the country, further enhancing this activity so important for domestic supply. 

As with highways and railroads, where loads are transported inside trains and trucks, the cabotage system works through the use of water vehicles. Despite this, this system also needs the functionality of the other modes of transport, since it is necessary that the moved cargoes reach the ports. 

The focus of port movement is still on export, which is an important exponent of the Brazilian economy. However, on the other hand, it is possible to use the cabotage system in Brazil, improving the national maritime fleet and the transport capacity in the country's coastal areas.

The cabotage system in Brazil works, mainly, by sea, that is, the vessels are relocated from port to port, taking the cargo that arrives at the main ports of the country to others. 

Despite the predominance by the seas, cabotage can also be carried out in rivers and lakes, but it is usually seen more in the seas, largely because of the capacity to move this space.

In the seas, where the cabotage system in Brazil is more active, ships are the vehicles responsible for all cargo handling, essentially in containers, since these structures are the most capable to store the items that will be transported in a safe and secure manner. effective.

Why was it implemented in Brazil?

Why was it implemented in Brazil?

Brazil is one of the most extensive countries in the world, with continental dimensions. In the coastal part of the country alone, there are more than 7,500 km. In addition, about 80% of the population lives less than 200 km away from the coast of the coast, as this area covers several regions of the country.

In addition to the country's coastal capacity, which makes this type of activity extremely viable and necessary, cabotage has several advantages, especially in relation to the environment. 

A ship is capable of transporting containers on a large scale, in much larger quantities than trucks and trains, and this transport is very safe and efficient. In addition, it ends up decreasing pollution and environmental impact in general. 

The cabotage system in Brazil also has a low number of accidents, especially when compared to the other two modes of transport (rail and road) most used in the country. 

Finally, another advantage that needs to be explored is the exploration of the routes of the ships: unlike the highways, for example, the vessels follow quiet paths, on well-organized routes, allowing the transport logistics to be simplified. 

In contrast, the distances between national ports are usually significant, making travel even slower, even with a clean and traffic-free route. 

Thus, the need to use a cabotage system in Brazil is very latent and, as we have seen, this has been going on for a long time. Since the colonial period, when ships were the main and only vehicles used for cargo handling, the cabotage system has played an active role in shaping the country.

Obviously, there is still a long way to go to improve and improve the capacity of the cabotage system in Brazil, since there is enough space and strength to leverage the quality and efficiency of this system, reducing the disparity in the predominance of other modes of transport. transportation in the country. 

Conclusion

Although not widespread, the cabotage system has been present in cargo transportation in Brazil since a very early age, remaining until today. This system has several advantages, both for companies that organize trips, and especially for the environment. Therefore, we can conclude that the cabotage system has a very important role for cargo handling in the country, but there is still room for a great evolution, given the conditions very favorable for this activity, mainly due to the wide coastal extension of the country and the great number of ports, located at strategic points and being responsible for a good part of the supply of inputs for the Brazilian population. 
Do you want to stay on top of the railroad sector? So, follow us on Instagram that we always publish new content and news.

en_US
pt_BR es_ES en_US