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HOW THE GOVERNMENT OF BRAZIL CAN MAKE SUSTAINABLE AND EXPAND
AND MODERNIZE THE TRANSPORT SECTOR
Fernando Alcoforado*
This article aims to show how the government of Brazil can make sustainable and expand and
modernize the country's transport sector, which is composed of highway, railway, waterway,
pipeline and airway transport of cargo and people (Figure 1). Urban transport was not considered
in this article because it will be dealt with in the next article when the sustainability of cities will
be addressed.
Figure 1- Brazil transport matrix
Source: Hijjar, Maria Fernanda e Lobo, Alexandre. Cenário da infraestrutura rodoviária no Brasil.
Available on the website <http://www.ilos.com.br/web/cenario-da-infraestrutura-rodoviaria-no-brasil/> ,
2011
1. The highway transport system in Brazil
Figure 1 shows that the highway modal is responsible for 62.7% of the cargo transported
in Brazil, having a unique characteristic, as it travels by any route, transits anywhere, and
has a unique flexibility with regard to the route (Figure 2 ). The greater availability of
access highway is also an interesting factor that enables the flow of large amounts of
cargo in Brazil through this modal. The higher priority given in Brazil to highway
transport leads the country to delay its economic development and emit more greenhouse
gases than other modes of transport [1].
2. The railway transport system in Brazil
Railway transport is responsible for 21.7% of the cargo transported in Brazil, being
carried out by trains composed of wagons that, in turn, are pulled by locomotives that
move on rails (Figure 3). The railway modal is known as all transport of people or
products/materials carried out through railways in closed wagons, platforms, etc. Railway
transport has as its main feature service over long distances and large amounts of cargo
with lower insurance and freight costs. However, the flexibility in the path is limited.
Brazil has only the tenth largest extension of rails in the world, an approximate total of

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29,000 km. In addition to the possibility of transporting large cargo capacity in this mode,
it also has a low energy consumption per transported unit [1]. Given the territorial
dimension of Brazil, greater priority should be given to the implementation of railways
instead of highways in the country.
Figure 2- Map of existing and projected highways in Brazil
Source: https://www.gov.br/infraestrutura/pt-br/assuntos/conteudo/rodovias-brasileiras
Figure 3- Map of existing and projected railways in Brazil
Source: http://professorleandronieves.blogspot.com/2016/08/transporte-no-brasil.html

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3. Brazil's waterway transport system
Waterway transport is responsible for 11.7% of the cargo transported in Brazil, being the
one that uses water to move the means of transport and can be subdivided into different
types according to the body of water it uses (maritime transport, which is that takes place
over seas and oceans, fluvial that uses rivers usually carried out by boats and lacustrine
whose transport is done in lakes and lagoons). Waterway transport is widely used to
transport products and people at low cost. It is generally used for transporting large loads
over long distances. The low costs of this transport help to improve the commercial value
of the products, making them more competitive in the market, since the cost of transport
influences the final cost of the product [1] (Figure 4).
Figure 4- Map of the main existing and projected waterways in Brazil
Source: https://plantproject.com.br/2018/04/as-principais-hidrovias-do-brasil/

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The highest concentration of viable stretches for waterway transport is found in the northern
region of the country, where there are large rivers and plains. In all, the waterway network in
Brazil has 42,000 km. The main problems of waterways in Brazil are represented by poorly used
waterways for the transport of cargo and passengers. The lack of priority for waterway transport
leads the country to delay its economic development and emit more greenhouse gases. Among
the main Brazilian waterways, two stand out: the Tietê-Paraná Waterway and the Taguari-Guaíba
Waterway. The numbers in Brazil reveal that investment for waterways does not reach 3% of the
established for highways, according to figures from the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).
Brazil invests very little in waterways despite its immense potential [2][3].
The waterway modal is also widely used for cabotage maritime transport internally
interconnecting the country's ports and international maritime transport, mainly in the relationship
between continents, as it facilitates the access of goods, in addition to having exclusive routes and
there are no problems in the transit [4][5].
Figure 5- Map of existing and planned cabotage in Brazil
Source: https://uxcomex.com.br/2021/04/a-cabotagem-no-brasil/

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4. The pipeline transport system in Brazil
Pipeline transport is one in which ducts or hollow cylindrical pipes are used in types of
pipes that form lines called pipelines, which are used to transport products from one point
to another [1] (Figure 6). Pipeline transport is responsible for 3.8% of the cargo
transported in Brazil, which does not have any flexibility, since there is a limitation on
the number of products that can use this modal.
Figure 6- Map of pipelines in Brazil
Source: https://calhambequi.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/modal-dutoviario/
The pipelines are made up of three elements: the deposits (also called terminals) where
the cargo is deposited and removed, the pipes through which the product is drained and
the joints that make the connection between the pipes. The main products used in pipeline
transport are those of fluid materials, such as oil and derivatives, natural gas and alcohol
(ethanol). The transport of these materials through the pipelines is carried out by pressure
or dragging through a conveyor element. Elements such as gravity are used to transport
or are driven by pumping [1].
Many pipelines are underground and underwater, which makes them somewhat safer than
other forms of transport. The influence of meteorological factors is also another reason
that does not interfere with the pipeline system, as well as the loss of materials, or the
possibility of theft, which is reduced due to the security that this transport has. Another
advantage is the economy that comes with transport over long distances and has a
simplified system for loading and unloading products. Despite the advantages seen above,
this transport also has disadvantages such as the chance of causing accidents with great
environmental impact with the rupture of the pipelines, since these are in contact with the
ground and the sea, which imposes the need for a major financial investment to fix the

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pipelines and these do not have route changes. This type of transport is not indicated for
short distances or small quantities of products. In addition, the tubes cannot carry different
types of products, as there is a risk of contamination [6].
In Brazil, the first pipeline was implemented in 1942, in the State of Bahia, which served
to connect an experimental refinery to the port [6]. Since then, there has been a great
development of this type of transport. Currently, the main pipeline transports that exist in
Brazil are:
• The Oil Pipeline between Paulínea and Brasília, which is approximately 995 km long,
for the transport of light products, such as oil and ethanol;
• The Ore Pipeline between Mariana and Ponta do Ubu, approximately 395 km long,
which transports the iron ore that is removed in Minas Gerais and disposed of in Espírito
Santo;
• The Gas Pipeline between Santa Cruz de La Sierra in Bolivia and Canoas, in the state
of Rio Grande do Sul, in Brazil. This gasotudo is known as Gasbol, which transports
natural gas extracted in Bolivia to Brazil, passing through several states in the country. It
has an extension of 3,150 km.
The transport pipeline system is very useful and reliable for the flow of these products,
whether in Brazil or in other countries. Due to its safety, it is widely used, especially over
long distances. Despite the high initial investment, pipelines have a low operating cost
[6].
5. Brazil's airway transport system
The airway transport system is a transport mode considered mixed, since it can transport
cargo and people at the same time. The passenger flow is represented in Figure 7.
Figure 7- Air transport- Flow of passengers from Brazil
Source: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transporte_a%C3%A9reo_no_Brasil
All aircraft have structures for transporting luggage and/or cargo. Airway transport is
responsible for 0.1% of cargo transported in Brazil, which is carried out by aircraft and
can be divided into national and international (Figure 8). These compartments can be
mixed (cargo / passenger) or individual, cargo only, passenger only. Airway transport is
fast and suitable for urgent goods. Airway transport is a suitable transport for goods with

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high added value, small volumes or with urgent delivery. Airway transport has some
advantages over other modes of transport, as it is faster, in addition to being more viable
for shipments such as luggage, spare parts, electronic products, perishable goods, gifts,
medicines, samples, etc. Airway transport is also advantageous because it does not require
more reinforced packaging, since handling is more careful, as normally its loads are
unitized on pallets or even in containers, a procedure that contributes to cost reduction
and ease of use of boarding and disembarking. On the other hand, there are disadvantages,
such as having a lower load capacity, high freight costs compared to other modes and the
high cost of its infrastructure [1].
Figure 8- Air cargo transport in Brazil in 2019
Source: https://sme.goiania.go.gov.br/conexaoescola/ensino_fundamental/geografia-modais-de-
transporte/
6. The port system in Brazil
The ports in Brazil are places where the movement, storage and transshipment of cargo
received from trucks, trains and ships take place, in addition to embarking and
disembarking passengers (Figure 9). They are one of the links in a transport matrix that
has national and worldwide coverage. Brazil has a total of 175 cargo port facilities,
including maritime ports and terminals and fluvial facilities [7][8]. We have ports along
our coast and inland using our extensive watersheds. Brazil has 99 ports and maritime

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terminals along our coast. There are 76 terminals inland, off the coast. Of these terminals,
18 are in the South Region, 6 in the Midwest Region and 52 in the North Region. The
main ports in Brazil are, in order, Santos in São Paulo, Paranaguá in Paraná, Itapoá and
Portonave in Santa Catarina, Rio Grande in Rio Grande do Sul, Dp World Santos in São
Paulo, Chibatão in Amazonas, Suape in Pernambuco , Itajaí in Santa Catarina, and Rio
de Janeiro in Rio de Janeiro.
Figure 9- Map of the main sea and river ports in Brazil
Source: http://educacao.globo.com/artigo/portos-brasileiros.html
On February 25, 1993, Law No. 8,630 (Port Modernization Law) was enacted, giving
room for privatizations through contracts or leases in the sector, for the exploration of
organized ports and port facilities in Brazil. The current port exploration model includes
six main figures:
• Organized Ports: belong to the Union and are managed by public agents. Most of the
service is provided by private port operators in facilities leased through a bidding process.
• Exclusive Use Private Terminals (TUP-E): these are private assets established upon
authorization, formalized by an adhesion contract, that is, without public bidding or grant
payment. They may be constructed solely for handling the terminal holder's cargo.
• Private Terminals for Mixed Use (TUP-M): these are private assets established upon
authorization. They move cargo belonging to the terminal owner and third parties, in a
subsidiary manner, in accordance with current legislation.
• Small Public Port Installations (IP4): this is a facility for mooring regional vessels for
transporting goods and people, as well as ferries for transporting cargo.

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• Cargo Transshipment Stations (ETC): is considered, according to ANTAQ resolution
2520, a “port facility located outside the area of the organized port, used exclusively for
the transshipment operation of cargo destined for or coming from inland navigation”.
• Private Tourism Terminals (iPTur): port facility operated with authorization and used
for boarding, disembarking and transit of passengers, crew and luggage, and inputs for
provisioning and supplying tourism vessels.
The 11 main Brazilian ports in cargo handling are Rio Grande (RS), Paranaguá (PR),
Vitória (ES), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Santos (SP), Itajaí (SC), São Francisco do Sul ( SC),
Sepetiba (RJ), Salvador (BA), Aratu (BA) and Itaqui (MA), which together account for
89% of Brazilian exports. Goods movement data in Brazilian ports in the first half of 2020
reached 221.15 million tons of cargo. According to the National Agency for Waterway
Transportation (ANTAC), the busiest cargoes in this period were, in order, solid bulk
(60.75%), containers (19.89%), liquid bulk (14.59%) and loose load (4.77%). Most ports
suffer from a lack of draft, that is, a lack of water depth. Over time, the movement of
ships accumulates mud on the seabed and, as a result, in some ports, ships are forced to
wait for high tide to enter the pier, or they must carry less weight, occupying only part of
their capacity of load. The solution is to dredge the accumulated material, which must be
done at regular intervals, generally every two years. In some ports, the last dredging was
carried out ten years ago, due to lack of financial resources, slowness in the bidding
process or difficulties in issuing environmental licenses.
More serious, and also more expensive to solve, is the problem of access to Brazilian
ports. The railroads are not enough and the highways are in a bad state. The situation is
repeated in most ports and is aggravated by the lack of warehouses in sufficient numbers
to organize the flow of cargo and avoid queues of trucks. In addition, exporters and
importers suffer from excessive bureaucracy in releasing cargo. There are numerous
government agencies on the edge of the port, including the Ministry of Defense, the
Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), the Federal Revenue Service and the Ministry of
Agriculture. Each of them is responsible for a type of document and for physical checks
on the goods. There is no single government register, and the owner of the merchandise
is obliged to provide the same information to all agencies in different forms. These
obstacles lead to delays in ports and the payment of high amounts in fines for the time the
ship is stopped.
Brazil, with all these problems, has a port activity cost much higher than the world
average. While in the best port in the country, Santos, 12 dollars are spent to ship 1 ton,
the world average is 7.02 dollars per ton, according to data from consultancy Trevisan. In
the port of Singapore, the exporter spends 5 dollars per ton and in Rotterdam, in the
Netherlands, the cost is only 4.8 dollars per ton. To reach the level of productivity of ports
like Rotterdam or Singapore, it will be necessary to invest heavily in modernizing
equipment. Brazil needs to reduce its port costs - a key element of a country's
competitiveness in a globalized world. The Brazilian port system requires many
adjustments, mainly in issues related to road and rail access and productivity. Pecém and
Suape, for example, although new and modern, have idle capacity because they do not
have a good access system that allows them to receive cargo from the central-north region
of the country. When they were planned, there was the intention to build the
Transnordestina railroad, which would reach both ports, and also to duplicate the BR-
101. None of these projects got off the ground.

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Currently, Santos is the main Brazilian port. It receives loads from all over the country.
Last year, 27.9% of exports passed through there. Until the beginning of this year,
dredging was one of the most serious problems in the port of Santos. Santos' main
challenge now is to overcome the bottleneck in access to port terminals. Trucks leaving
São Paulo for the port of Santos spend 90 minutes on the trip, but when they arrive at the
port they are stopped for up to 24 hours waiting to be unloaded. The main railroads in the
country end in Santos, but only one company, MRS Logística, owns the final 18
kilometers of the railroad that reaches the pier. To complete the final stretch of the trip,
wagons that walked at an average speed of 20 kilometers per hour during the entire
journey, slow down to about two kilometers on average because they have to change the
locomotive and present a series of documents to have their pass released. This results
from the delay in creating a clear regulation on the sharing of meshes. The railroad
privatization model divided the networks into lots and did not foresee integration with the
ports. The result was the creation of this monster that ends up causing delays in the
delivery of cargo.
7. The airport system in Brazil
Airports in Brazil are places where cargo is moved, stored and transferred, in addition to
boarding and disembarking passengers using air transport [9][10]. Brazil has 2,463
airports and airfields registered by ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency), 1,806 of
which are private and 657 are public. The main airports in Brazil are shown on the map
in Figure 10. They are one of the links in a transport matrix that has national and
worldwide coverage.
Figure 10- Map of the main airports in Brazil

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Source:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1vlDxKBQh5BfYbHXMGNHcbnHcCCU&hl=pt_BR&ll=
-14.163457736642599%2C-51.362629&z=4
The airway transport system is a means of transport considered mixed, since it can
transport cargo and people at the same time. Airway transport is responsible for 0.1% of
cargo transported in Brazil, which is carried out by aircraft that take off and land at
airports and can be divided into national and international. The 10 busiest airports with
the largest and best structures in Brazil, in order, are as follows:
• Guarulhos-São Paulo International Airport
• Congonhas Airport – São Paulo
• Brasilia Airport - Federal District
• Galeão Airport - Rio de Janeiro
• Confins Airport - Belo Horizonte
• Viracopos Airport - Campinas
• Santos Dumont Airport - Rio de Janeiro
• Recife Airport - Recife
• Porto Alegre Airport - Porto Alegre
• Salvador Airport - Salvador
Guarulhos Airport is considered the largest in the country and also in South America,
with an area of 14 square kilometers. The departure and arrival complex is also the second
busiest in terms of number of passengers in Latin America, totaling 50.5 million people
per year, second only to Mexico City International Airport. In a period of 10 years, Brazil
made great progress towards the modernization of its airports with the airport concessions
program that played a relevant role in the transformation that the sector had in such a
short time.
8. Economic comparison between the main modes of transport in Brazil
The costs that a transport company incurs are fixed and variable costs [1]. The main
factors that affect the cost of routes are: distance, volume and weight. Fixed costs are
those that do not vary with the distance traveled: depreciation, return on capital,
administrative costs, taxes and wages. Variable costs vary with the distance traveled: tires,
oil, washing/greasing, fuel, maintenance and tolls. Transport decisions are strongly
related to this cost structure, which is fundamental for the adoption of appropriate policies
by contracting companies. For example, when a manufacturer of consumer goods chooses
a mode of transport, it usually observes that the costs of waterway and railway are mostly
fixed, while variable costs prevail in highway and air, which vary with distance and
weight. High fixed costs are more suitable for transporting commodities and cargo with
low added value, while higher variable costs reflect operations in which delivery times
are a priority in transport and products have higher added value.
In a recent survey carried out jointly with IPEA and IBGE and published in the book
"Estrutura e Dinâmica do Setor de Serviços no Brasil", it was found that fixed costs reach
up to 36% of revenues in the railway modal, while on highways and in airway transport
are, respectively, 23 and 17%. On the other hand, in airway transport, total variable and

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semi-variable costs can reach up to 70% of revenues, compared to 48% for highways and
45% for railways. Based on the fixed cost, airway transport is the most attractive,
followed by highway and railway transport, in that order. Based on the variable cost, the
railway mode is more attractive than highway and airway modes, in order [1].
The analysis of Table 1 shows that the waterway modal is the most economical alternative
because it has a lower cost per ton.km (0.009), superior traction force of 4 thousand kg,
requires less investment per 1000 tons (0.75) and has a longer service life (50 years). The
railway is in second place because it has a cost per ton.km equal to 0.016, a traction force
of 500 kg, requires investment per 1000 tons equal to 2.5, has a useful life of 30 years.
The highway alternative has a higher cost per ton.km (0.056), a traction force of 150 kg,
requires investment per 1000 tons equal to 3 and has a useful life of 10 years [1].
Table 1- Comparison between waterway, rail and highway modes
Boat Train Truck
Dead weight per ton of cargo
carried
350 kg 800 kg 700 kg
Traction force- 1 HP drags 4.000 kg 500 kg 150 kg
Energy: 1 kg of mineral coal
takes 1 ton
40 km 20 km 6,5 km
Investments to transport 1,000
tons
0,75 2,5 3,0
Quantity of equipment to
transport 1,000 tons
1 pusher 1 locomotive 50
mechanical
horsepower
1000 tons 1 barge 50 wagons 50 trailers
Service life in years of use 50 30 10
Cost (R$ per km) ton per km
transported
0,009 0,016 0,056
Source: Correa, Vivian Helena Capacle e Ramos, Pedro. A precariedade do transporte rodoviário
brasileiro para o escoamento da produção de soja do Centro-Oeste: situação e perspectivas. Available on
the website <http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-20032010000200009>,
2010.
From the above, the irrationality of the transport matrix in Brazil is demonstrated, which
favors the use of the highhway modal, which is, economically, the worst compared with
waterway and railway alternatives that should be, in order, the most appropriate modes
for implementation in Brazil. This means that the government of Brazil should promote
the expansion of railways and railway stations, waterways and ports and airways transport
and airports and stop investing in the expansion of highways.
9. Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector in Brazil
Figure 11 informs that transport in the world is responsible for the emission of 22% of
greenhouse gases on the planet and that, among the means of transport, trains emit the
least followed by ships, planes, trucks and buses. [11]. Trains emit 0.88% of greenhouse
gases (0.04x0.22), ships 2.2% (0.10x0.22), planes 2.42% (0.11x0.22) and trucks and
buses 7.48% (0.34x0.22) [11].

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Figure 11 - Emission of greenhouse gases in the world
Source: https://oleodieselnaveia.com/2022/08/12/a-eletrificacao-e-os-emissores-de-co2/
In Brazil, the energy sector is responsible for 21% of greenhouse gas emissions (Figure
12).
Figure 12- Emission of greenhouse gases in Brazil
Source: https://ipam.org.br/brasil-tem-emissoes-estaveis-em-2018-desmatamento-cresceu-na-amazonia/
Of the 21% of greenhouse gas emissions carried out by the energy sector, 47% of this
value (9.87%) is the responsibility of the transport sector in Brazil (Figure 13). This
means that the transport sector as a whole emits 9.87% of greenhouse gases in Brazil. In
Brazil, in 2019, the emission of greenhouse gases from freight transport corresponds to
25% of the emission of gases from the energy sector, that is, 5.25% (25% x 21%) of the
greenhouse gases emitted in Brazil [16] (Figure 13). Of the 5.25% of greenhouse gases
emitted by the freight transport sector, 76% (19% / 25%) is carried out by trucks, 16%

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(45% / 25%) by light commercial vehicles, 4% (1 % / 25%) by vessels and 4% (15% /
25%) by locomotives (Figure 13).
Figure 13- Emission of greenhouse gases in the transport sector in Brazil
Source: https://energiaeambiente.org.br/as-emissoes-brasileiras-de-gases-de-efeito-estufa-nos-setores-de-
energia-e-de-processos-industriais-em-2019-20201201
In order to compare the modes of transport in Brazil in terms of their contribution to the
emission of greenhouse gases, a calculation was made for each mode of transport of the
ratio between the percentage of greenhouse gases emitted and the percentage of cargo
transported in Brazil. In the calculation, the data described below were considered:
1) Emission of greenhouse gases
Highways 92% (trucks + light commercial vehicles)
Railways 4% (locomotives)
Waterways 4% (vessels)
Pipelines 0%
2) Cargo transported in Brazil (Figure 1)
Highways 62.7%
Railways 21.7%
Waterways 11.7%
Pipelines 3.8%
Air transport 0.1%
Observations: 1) the comparison of transport modes was limited to highways, railways
and waterways, which correspond to 96.1% of cargo transported in Brazil; 2) the pipelines
were considered with zero greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and were not
considered in the calculation because cargo transportation is very limited; 3) air transport
was not considered in the calculation because cargo transport is not very representative
compared to other modes.
Result of the calculation of the ratio % Emission of greenhouse gases / % Cargo
transported
Highways = 1.4673046 (92% / 62,7%)

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Railways = 0.1843317 (4% / 21,7%)
Waterways = 0.3418803 (4% / 11,7%)
This calculation demonstrates that railways and waterways, in order, emit less greenhouse
gases per cargo transported than highways. This means that from an environmental point
of view, Brazil should prioritize, in order, the use of trains with railways and ships with
waterways in cargo transport, rather than trucks and buses with highways. This means
that the government of Brazil should promote the expansion of railways and railway
stations, waterways and ports and stop investing in the expansion of highways..
10. Evaluation of the current transport sector in Brazil
As explained in parts 1 to 9 of this article, the various modes of transport existing in Brazil
were analyzed, which allowed us to verify the following:
• The transport matrix in Brazil is irrational because it privileges the use of the highways
modal which is, economically, the worst compared to the waterway and railway
alternatives that should be, in order, the most appropriate modes for implementation in
Brazil.
• Trains emit the least greenhouse gases, followed by ships, planes, trucks and buses.
• Pipeline transport can cause accidents with a great environmental impact with the
rupture of the pipelines, since they are in contact with the ground and the sea, a fact that
requires a large financial investment for the safe fixation of the pipes.
• The waterway modal is the most economical alternative, followed by the railway and
the road alternative.
• Given Brazil's territorial dimension, greater priority should be given to the
implementation of railways instead of highways in the country, as they are more
economical and emit less greenhouse gases.
• The main problems of waterways in Brazil result from the fact that they are poorly used
for the transport of cargo and passengers.
• The lack of priority for waterway transport leads Brazil to delay its economic
development and emit more greenhouse gases with the priority given to highways.
• Most ports in Brazil suffer from a lack of draft, that is, a lack of water depth whose
solution requires the dredging of accumulated material, which should be done at regular
intervals, generally every two years.
• Brazil's ports face problems related to cargo access because there are not enough
railroads and roads are in a bad state.
• The ports in Brazil face the problem of a lack of warehouses in sufficient numbers to
organize the flow of cargo and avoid queues of trucks.
• There is excessive bureaucracy in releasing cargo at ports.
• There is no single government register, and the owner of the commodity is required to
provide the same information to all agencies on different forms.
• Brazil has a port activity cost much higher than the world average.

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• To reach the productivity level of ports like Rotterdam or Singapore, it will be necessary
to invest heavily in the modernization of equipment in ports in Brazil.
The Brazilian government needs to adopt compatible strategies to eliminate all the
weaknesses described above, as well as to make sustainable and expand and modernize
Brazil's transport sector.
11. How to make Brazil's transport sector sustainable
As explained in part 9 of this article, the conclusions from the point of view of
environmental sustainability are that transport in the world is responsible for the emission
of 22% of greenhouse gases on the planet and, in Brazil, in 2019, the transport sector is
responsible for 9.87% of greenhouse gas emissions. Brazil's highway transport system
accounts for 23% of the freight transport sector's greenhouse gas emissions, the railway
transport system for 1% and the waterway transport system for 1%. Brazil will be able to
contribute to reducing the emission of these gases by seeking environmental sustainability
for its transport sector, adopting as a priority the realization of investments in the
expansion of railways and waterways, because trains and ships are the means of transport
that emit less greenhouse gases, as well as abandoning the expansion of the road transport
system. This means that from an environmental point of view, Brazil should prioritize, in
order, the use of trains and ships in cargo transportation and not the use of trucks and
buses.
12. How to expand and modernize Brazil's transport systems
i) The future of motor vehicles and the expansion and modernization of the highway
transport system in Brazil
In the future, highways will not be as unsafe as they are today. Vehicles will not have
drivers and will not emit polluting waste into the air. Highways will be controlled by
sophisticated technologies that communicate with cars, extract energy from the Sun,
integrate road infrastructure and GPS systems [12]. The highways of the future are
already beginning to be designed. The highways of the future will feature advanced solar
panels that will generate clean, renewable energy and wirelessly charge electric cars in
motion or parked. As rodovias terão iluminação LED e elementos de aquecimento para
derreter a neve onde ela ocorrer. Electric cars are set to become commonplace on the
roads of the future, as scientific developments will greatly improve battery performance
and the potential for increased electricity storage. Fully automated navigation systems
will also allow roads to be populated by driverless cars that will require changes in road
design and operation and greater safety and environmental benefits. Vehicles will become
increasingly “smart”, which, with a combination of the connected vehicle and the Internet
of Things, will enable cars to transmit and receive information about traffic, speed,
weather and potential safety risks. Public or private autonomous vehicles will connect us
from our home to a transport hub. There are already driverless buses in the canton of
Schaffhausen, Switzerland, which circulate picking up and dropping off passengers while
tackling traffic [13]. It doesn't even have a steering wheel. An employee inside the bus
can take control of the vehicle from a remote control, in case there is any unforeseen
event.
Strategies needed to expand and modernize Brazil's highways transport system:
• Abandon investments in new highways, prioritizing investments in the modernization
of current highways in Brazil.

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• Equip current highways with technologies that communicate with motor vehicles in
transit.
• Install photovoltaic energy systems on current highways that will wirelessly charge
electric cars in motion or parked.
• Install photovoltaic panels with LED lighting systems and GPS systems on current
highways.
• Install on current highways fully automated navigation systems that will allow the roads
to be populated by driverless cars providing safety and environmental benefits.
• Make it possible for motor vehicles to receive information about traffic, speed, weather
and potential safety risks on current highways.
ii) The future of trains and the expansion and modernization strategies of the
railway transport system in Brazil
In the future, comfortable high-speed trains will be commonplace and will avoid
congestion on the highways. Most railway lines in the main world capitals will be
supplied by renewable energies such as photovoltaic solar, wind and hydrogen [13].
Trains will magnetically levitate in tubes without air, reaching high speeds
interconnecting different neighborhoods of the metropolises. The driverless system, that
is, without a driver on the train and a driver on the bus, will be in full operation [13].
Subways and trains (and, who knows, buses) will be driven remotely through software,
providing more safety, speed and comfort to passengers, since it will be possible to
control the speed, the interval between them, and even the time of opening the doors. In
addition, the perfect synchronization of the trains will avoid sudden stops and contribute
to the reduction of energy consumption. Carriers and suppliers will use resources such as
artificial intelligence, internet of things, network speed and big data in order to enable
more effective payment systems and the integration of modalities, so that metro and buses
will be used more widely by the population [ 13].
On railway lines, preventive maintenance will be carried out by autonomous drones,
driverless trains will travel safely at high speed, loads will be automatically sent to their
destination, and smart technology will be designed to improve the passenger experience
and enable ticketless travel. There will be improvement and dissemination of automatic
steering systems on trains, which will further optimize travel times and may put an end
to delays. Smart robots will build new railway infrastructure and modernize old ones.
Technological advances will also be vital in improving the user experience, providing
accurate real-time route information, and enabling uninterrupted access to work and
entertainment while traveling via wireless internet networks (Wireless and/or 5G). The
exceptionally quiet and efficient magnetic levitation technology employed in the fully
automated Conveyor System will also allow the system to serve as a space saving, low
greenhouse gas alternative. The system will operate reaching speeds of up to 150 km per
hour, being able to handle up to 180 containers/hour individually and completely
electrically [13].
Strategies needed to expand and modernize Brazil's railway transport system:
• Create clear regulations on the sharing of Brazil's privatized railway network, aiming at
its integration to avoid delays in the delivery of goods.

18
• Design the expansion of new railways and railway stations considering high-speed
railways lines with trains that will magnetically levitate in airless tubes.
• Use the exceptionally quiet and efficient magnetic levitation technology employed in
the fully automated conveyor system to allow the system to serve as a space-saving, low-
GHG alternative.
• Design the expansion of new high-speed railways with railway stations and comfortable
passenger trains.
• Design the expansion of new railways and railway stations fueled by renewable energies
such as photovoltaic solar, wind and hydrogen.
• Design new railways with or without a driverless system, that is, without a driver.
• Design new railways conducted remotely through software, providing more safety,
speed and comfort to passengers, since it will be possible to control the speed, the interval
between them, and even the opening time of the doors. In addition, the perfect
synchronization of the trains will avoid sudden stops and contribute to the reduction of
energy consumption.
• Use resources such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, network speed and big
data in order to enable more effective payment systems and the integration of the railway
with the subway and buses.
• Carry out preventive maintenance on railway lines by autonomous drones.
• Use intelligent robots to build new railway infrastructure and modernize old ones.
• Improve user experience by providing accurate real-time route information and enabling
uninterrupted access to work and entertainment while traveling over wireless internet
networks (Wireless and/or 5G).
iii) The future of ships and the expansion and modernization strategies of the
waterway transport system in Brazil
In the future, ships will benefit from increasingly sophisticated technologies. Smart ships
will become an integral part of the reality around us. Ships will have sophisticated sonar
to prevent collisions with icebergs or means that provide better use of energy. Ships like
these will make better use of ocean currents and may even prevent further damage to the
ecosystem [14]. The naval industry has been studying innovations that will inevitably
place navigation on a more sustainable level. It is expected that in the next 10, 20 or 30
years, vessels powered by solar energy will emerge, as there is a great advance in the
studies of this technology and its applicability on a large scale. There will even be civil
use of nuclear energy as a source of propulsion and smart ports [14]. New technologies
can be added to port infrastructures, based on the concept of industry 4.0 in the automation
and digitization of ports through robotics, big data, internet of things (IoT), blockchain
and artificial intelligence [14]. The cargo ships will use batteries that will be powered by
solar and wind energy through agreements with companies that operate close to the ports
where the ships will be moored. There they can be recharged and have their batteries
replaced [15].
A new electric, unmanned container ship is being built in Norway by two companies. The
electric cargo ship, for short-haul shipping, will initially have a crew present, but in 2022,
the ship would switch to autonomous operation (if it obtains the necessary

19
authorizations). This ship called “Tesla of the seas” will be steered from an onboard
control center during the first few voyages. Then it will be controlled autonomously via
GPS. Possible collisions will be avoided using a combination of sensors [14]. The CO2
emission of a large ship is equivalent to more than 83,000 cars. As there are 100,000
ships, they pollute the equivalent of 830 million cars. To avoid this problem, global
shipping company Maersk plans to install “rotor sails” for its tankers as a way to reduce
fuel costs and carbon emissions. The company behind the technology, Finnish
Norsepower, says this is the first wind power retrofit system on an oil tanker [14]. It is
worth highlighting the great advances in the applicability of wind or wind energy in ship
propulsion. Wind energy, with the installation of rotor sails, generates clean and
renewable energy as an auxiliary source of propulsion, bringing more sustainability to the
naval sector in the near future. Great strides in reducing fuel consumption are also
achieved thanks to more efficient heat recovery systems, types of painting, and even
profound changes in the design of ship hulls, all of which generate less greenhouse gas
emissions into the atmosphere.
There will be a great expansion with the propulsion of ships by LNG (Liquefied Natural
Gas). Vessels that use this fossil fuel, one of the cleanest, are already a reality and its
applicability is increasing year after year. The use of LNG provides not only a reduction
in costs to the shipowner, mainly related to maintenance, but mainly the environmental
gain. Compared to traditional engines, it represents a 99% reduction in the emission of
sulfur dioxide, 85% of nitrogen dioxide and 20% of carbon dioxide. Advances in
replacing heavy oil with LNG in ship propulsion will make it possible to achieve the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) target of a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions by 2050 [14]. One of the most sustainable technologies under study is that of
freighters without ballast tanks, which aim to provide ship stability by avoiding the
discharge of salty ballast water, which, when emptying it, can cause serious
environmental impacts due to the insertion of non-native microorganisms, such as , for
example, cholera outbreaks and the spread of the golden mussel, which causes serious
fouling problems in vessels, pipelines and even hydroelectric plants. The change in
freighters without ballast tanks consists of replacing the ballast tanks with structural
longitudinal “pipes”, with admission at the bow and discharge at the stern, which create
a constant flow of local salt water and promote the necessary pressure to generate the
stability of the vessel ship, according to the cargo shipped. The eventual implementation
of such technology in shipbuilding could have positive impacts on the environment and
on the operational cost of the vessel, since a series of measures and equipment that are
currently used to mitigate the risks of dumping microorganisms in other areas [14].
Strategies needed to expand and modernize Brazil's waterway transport system:
• Solve the problem of dredging in the port of Santos.
• Solve the problem of access to Brazilian ports by rail and road.
• Solve the problem of the lack of warehouses in sufficient numbers to organize the flow
of goods and avoid queues of trucks at ports.
• Eliminate excessive bureaucracy in releasing cargo shipments at ports.
• Raise the productivity level of ports in Brazil by investing heavily in the modernization
of port equipment.
• Design the expansion and modernization of waterways and ports in Brazil.

20
• Encourage the use of solar-powered vessels and cargo ships that use batteries powered
by solar and wind energy to combat greenhouse gas emissions.
• Encourage the installation of “rotor sails” as a wind power retrofit system that generates
clean, renewable energy as an auxiliary source of propulsion in oil tankers, as a way to
reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions.
• Encourage ship propulsion using LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), which is the cleanest
fossil fuel.
• • Encourage ships not to use ballast tanks by replacing them with structural longitudinal
“pipes”, with admission at the bow and discharge at the stern, which create a constant
flow of local salt water and promote the necessary pressure to generate the stability of the
ship, according to the cargo shipped.
• Equip the ports of the future with installations that make it possible to charge or replace
batteries on ships powered by solar energy, as there is a great advance in the studies of
this technology and its applicability on a large scale.
• Provide the ports of the future with new technologies added to port infrastructure, based
on the concept of industry 4.0, automation and digitization of ports through robotics, big
data, internet of things (IoT), blockchain and artificial intelligence.
• Equip the ports of the future with natural gas terminals to supply ships with propulsion
based on LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
iv) The future of airplanes and strategies for expanding and modernizing the air
transport system in Brazil
What will the airway transport of the future look like? The aeronautical industry is
working on the development of several aircraft projects that promise to revolutionize air
transport in the coming years and decades [15]. There are supersonic, electric,
autonomous planes and even aircraft that look like a giant drone for transporting
passengers in urban centers. The search for more efficient ways of flying and transporting
passengers across the skies while emitting less polluting gases (or even zero emissions)
is the great challenge for the aeronautical industry for the coming years. This change will
require a technological overhaul of the planes. There are studies on electric planes, flying
cars, supersonic planes, among other innovations. The electric plane solution does not yet
work for large aircraft. What can be built, at the moment, are electric planes with a
capacity of just over 10 passengers and a flight range of around 300 km. Another option
evaluated in this area is hybrid propulsion, combining conventional and electric motors.
Electric planes should not evolve so quickly to the point of displacing jets in the short or
medium term. Electric planes use electric batteries, the “fuel” of this new type of plane,
which are quite heavy and inefficient compared to the high power of jet engines and
turboprops. Another electrical source being studied for airplanes is hydrogen-powered
generators, a technology that still needs to mature until it becomes really viable.
The search for more efficient ways of flying and transporting passengers across the skies
while emitting less polluting gases (or even zero emissions) is the great challenge for the
aeronautical industry for the coming years. This change will require a technological
overhaul of aircraft and passenger habits. Finnish airlines Finnair and Norway's Widerøe
recently announced plans to introduce electric passenger jets into their fleets by 2026. In
Canada, where the use of small commercial planes is also gaining traction, Harbor Air is
testing seaplanes retrofitted with electric propellers. These days, machines in the form of

21
the giant Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 are falling out of favor in passenger transport.
They are too expensive to operate, require more maintenance and consume enormous
amounts of fuel. Advances in engine technologies and new aerodynamic solutions have
contributed to significantly reduce fuel consumption by commercial aircraft, opening up
the possibility of increasingly longer routes.
Hybrid aircraft are those designed to take off and land vertically with tilt rotors. This type
of aircraft is growing rapidly as designers and startups realize that this is the future of
aircraft. VoltAero, a French aviation startup, is developing a hybrid plane that could
become a “Tesla” of the skies, popularizing the technology and making it available to
more people. The aircraft was designed to have a flight autonomy of up to 3.5 hours, with
a range of 1,287 km, flying up to 8 times a day with a total flight time of 10 hours. Built
with composite materials, the aircraft will be offered in three versions: the Cassio 330,
with four seats and a hybrid propulsion system with a power of 330 kW, the Cassio 480,
with six seats and a hybrid propulsion with 480 kW. The third model is the Cassio 600,
with 10 seats and 600 kW hybrid propulsion. Its cruising speed is estimated at 370 km/h,
and in all-electric mode the range is 200 km [15].
Boom has the proposal that comes closest to what the Concorde was. Smaller jets,
previously restricted to domestic flights, will be able to carry out international trips
between continents. 9 Researchers from the Technical University of Delft, in the
Netherlands, managed to fly a prototype of the new Flying-V commercial aircraft for the
first time, which is considered as a new aircraft that can change aviation in the future [42].
With a V-shape quite different from traditional commercial aircraft, the Flying-V has a
design thought to have a more efficient fuel consumption. Airbus presents designs for
hydrogen-powered aircraft to avoid greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. It is a 'V'-shaped
model, with wings integrated into the body of the plane. The aeronautical industry is
working on the development of several aircraft projects that promise to revolutionize air
transport in the coming years and decades [15].
Strategies needed to expand and modernize Brazil's air transport system:
• Design the expansion and modernization of airports in Brazil.
• Analyze the changes to be processed in current airports to operate with the development
of several aircraft projects that promise to revolutionize air transport in the coming years
and decades.
• Analyze the changes to be processed in current airports to operate hybrid aircraft, which
are those designed to take off and land vertically with tilt rotors.
• Analyze the changes to be processed at current airports to operate with the new Flying-
V commercial aircraft, which is pointed out as a new aircraft that can change aviation in
the future.
• Advocate for Airbus manufacturing that features designs for hydrogen-powered aircraft
to avoid greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
• Defend the manufacture of aircraft based on hybrid propulsion, combining conventional
and electric engines to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
• Encourage the use of electric planes because they emit less polluting gases (or even
zero) or hybrid propulsion, combining conventional and electric engines and hydrogen-
powered planes, a technology that still needs to mature until it becomes really viable.

22
• Encourage the use of hybrid aircraft that are those designed to take off and land
vertically with tilt rotors.
• Equip the airports of the future with installations that make it possible to charge or
replace batteries for electric planes and hydrogen for aircraft powered by hydrogen.
• Equip the airports of the future with new technologies added to airport infrastructure,
based on the concept of industry 4.0 in the automation and digitization of airports through
robotics, big data, internet of things (IoT), blockchain and artificial intelligence.
All these changes that may occur in the future in road, pipeline, waterway and air transport
make it a requirement that transport systems in Brazil need to be designed taking into
account the future scenario described above. In this sense, Brazil's transport systems need
to be designed taking into account the future scenario for highway, pipeline, railway,
waterway and airway transport systems.
All these changes that may occur in the future of motor vehicles, trains, ships and planes
make it a requirement that highways, pipelines, waterways and airways transport systems
in Brazil be designed taking into account the future scenarios described above.
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* Fernando Alcoforado, awarded the medal of Engineering Merit of the CONFEA / CREA System, member
of the Bahia Academy of Education, of the SBPC- Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science and of
IPB- Polytechnic Institute of Bahia, engineer and doctor in Territorial Planning and Regional Development
from the University of Barcelona, university professor (Engineering, Economy and Administration) and
consultant in the areas of strategic planning, business planning, regional planning, urban planning and
energy systems, was Advisor to the Vice President of Engineering and Technology at LIGHT S.A. Electric
power distribution company from Rio de Janeiro, Strategic Planning Coordinator of CEPED- Bahia
Research and Development Center, Undersecretary of Energy of the State of Bahia, Secretary of Planning
of Salvador, is the author of the books Globalização (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1997), De Collor a FHC-
O Brasil e a Nova (Des)ordem Mundial (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1998), Um Projeto para o Brasil

24
(Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 2000), Os condicionantes do desenvolvimento do Estado da Bahia (Tese de
doutorado. Universidade de Barcelona,http://www.tesisenred.net/handle/10803/1944, 2003), Globalização
e Desenvolvimento (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 2006), Bahia- Desenvolvimento do Século XVI ao Século
XX e Objetivos Estratégicos na Era Contemporânea (EGBA, Salvador, 2008), The Necessary Conditions
of the Economic and Social Development- The Case of the State of Bahia (VDM Verlag Dr. Müller
Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG, Saarbrücken, Germany, 2010), Aquecimento Global e Catástrofe Planetária
(Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, 2010), Amazônia Sustentável- Para o
progresso do Brasil e combate ao aquecimento global (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo,
São Paulo, 2011), Os Fatores Condicionantes do Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (Editora CRV,
Curitiba, 2012), Energia no Mundo e no Brasil- Energia e Mudança Climática Catastrófica no Século XXI
(Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2015), As Grandes Revoluções Científicas, Econômicas e Sociais que Mudaram o
Mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2016), A Invenção de um novo Brasil (Editora CRV, Curitiba,
2017), Esquerda x Direita e a sua convergência (Associação Baiana de Imprensa, Salvador, 2018), Como
inventar o futuro para mudar o mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2019), A humanidade ameaçada e as
estratégias para sua sobrevivência (Editora Dialética, São Paulo, 2021), A escalada da ciência e da
tecnologia e sua contribuição ao progresso e à sobrevivência da humanidade(Editora CRV, Curitiba,
2022), a chapter in the book Flood Handbook (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, United States, 2022) and
How to protect human beings from threats to their existence and avoid the extinction of humanity (Europe,
Republic of Moldova, Chișinău, 2023).