Exorbitant fee charges are impacting navigation and the export of products in the Amazon region, posing risks of shortages, particularly in the case of fuels and food destined for Manaus. During the dry season, pilotage companies began imposing a “Drought Fee,” with costs reaching up to BRL 800,000, according to the Amazon-based Federation of Industries of the State of Amazonas (Fieam). In the Amazon, specifically in the Madeira River region, particularly in Itacoatiara, large ports have operations focused on grain, container transport, and fuels destined for Manaus. Although the state regulates pilotage companies, their fee practices are not monitored. According to According to trade expert Mário Pierre Filho, the increase in this fee began in August, during the drought season, a time when the Amazon economy already suffers due to the rivers’ reduced water levels.
Sources: Em Tempo/Datamar News