Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia are advancing a shared management model for the Paraguay River waterway. Representatives from the three countries discussed an international agreement focused on shared governance and the future concession of the corridor.
The proposal, which was presented by the Paraguayan Government, focuses on modernising the concession and strengthening coordination between the nations.
Describing the plans, Brazil's National Secretary of Waterways and Navigation Otto Burlier explained, "The proposal seeks to expand coordination between the countries and ensure greater efficiency in navigation and cargo transport along the waterway, with regulatory predictability and legal certainty throughout the concession."
The plan outlines the provision of essential services such as buoyage, nautical signalling, hydrological monitoring, and operational communication, alongside maintaining navigability. To increase operational safety, the project will also incorporate vessel traffic monitoring technologies.
According to Brazil's Ministry of Ports and Airports, a new round of talks is expected to take place in the second half of June to consolidate the joint agreement.
The Paraguay River waterway currently moves approximately 10 million tonnes of cargo annually, connecting producing regions of the Brazilian Midwest to markets in the Plata Basin.