Maritime Transport Professionals Honored on World Maritime Day

Brazilian coffee served in another country, the fuel that powers vehicles, and the components of a cell phone travel thousands of kilometers aboard a ship to reach their destination. But for this to happen, much more than vessels are needed: there are professionals planning voyages, operating ports, navigating ships, and ensuring the safety of people and cargo.

World Maritime Day, celebrated on September 24, gives visibility to this work and to an activity present in daily life, even for those who live far from the coast. Promoted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, the date highlights the importance of navigation for trade and supply, as well as the need to maintain safe routes and protect the oceans.

More than 80% of the volume of world merchandise trade is transported by ships, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This figure helps to gauge the sector, but each voyage depends on people in different roles; on land and at sea.

Before cargo reaches the shelves, workers receive and move goods in ports, organize shipments, and monitor operations. Aboard, crews navigate vessels, monitor equipment, and face the conditions of each journey. There are also professionals responsible for route planning and navigation safety.

A single vessel can carry thousands of containers with food, clothing, medicine, machinery, and electronic equipment. Other ships transport large volumes of grains, ores, fuels, and raw materials used by industry. This capacity makes maritime transport one of the foundations of global supply.

When a route is interrupted by conflicts, accidents, or extreme weather events, the effects are felt far beyond. Deliveries are delayed, supply becomes more difficult, and transport costs increase.

In Brazil, it is no different. Responsible for more than 95% of our trade with the world, ports play a fundamental role in people's lives and in the country's economy.

A safe voyage begins long before the ship leaves port. The vessel must be in operating condition, the crew must be prepared, and the route must be planned with up-to-date information on weather and navigation conditions.

Signaling, nautical charts, and traffic organization help prevent collisions, groundings, and other accidents. These precautions protect those who work aboard, the teams involved in port operations, the cargo, and the environment.

As ships cross the waters of different countries, international cooperation is also essential. Shared standards guide the construction and operation of vessels, the protection of crews, and the prevention of marine pollution.

Seas and oceans through which ships pass have their own biomes that need to be preserved, in addition to providing food and regulating the climate. Maintaining this living chain, minimizing impacts caused by navigation, is one of the challenges faced by those working in the maritime sector.

This involves preventing spills, properly managing waste, and reducing emissions from the activity. More efficient vessels, lower-emission fuels, hybrid propulsion systems, route planning, and decarbonized maritime corridors are among the solutions developed to reduce the impacts of navigation.

The Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) works on the formulation and coordination of public policies aimed at the development of the port sector and navigation. This includes modernizing infrastructure, improving port operating conditions, and strengthening navigation, as well as incorporating solutions that contribute to greater safety, efficiency, and sustainability in maritime transport.

By taking care of this structure, MPor helps to keep a network functioning that connects Brazil to the world and also brings different regions of the country closer. It is this network, supported by the work of professionals on land and at sea, that allows food, fuel, machinery, medicines, and many other products to reach their destination.