By First Lieutenant (T) Tatiane Bispo and First Lieutenant (RM2-T) Stilben – Agência Marinha de Notícias
Almost all the products that entered and left the country this year, as well as their raw materials, depended on complex logistics based on maritime and river trade. These products, which are essentially transported by a branch of professional activity known as the Merchant Navy, find an essential means of transport, import and distribution in the seas and rivers. Brazil is a maritime country, with an area of more than 5.7 million km², the Blue Amazon, through which around 95% of foreign trade passes.
In addition, more than 80% of the Brazilian population lives less than 200 kilometers from the coast, and more than 20 million jobs depend directly or indirectly on the sea.The sea and inland waterways are therefore important settings for the development of economic activities that make up the logistics chain of national and international trade, and also for those based on the exploitation of natural resources, production and the provision of services in Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters (AJB).
For this reason – and also for tourism and other waterway services – it is essential to highlight the importance of the Merchant Navy to society and its strategic role in the national economy, by generating jobs and inducing improvements in infrastructure and services related to the industry.
In this context, the Merchant Navy, which is celebrated every December 28 – the date alluding to the birth of its patron, Irineu Evangelista de Souza, the Viscount of Mauá – is the group of organizations, people, vessels and other resources dedicated to maritime, river and lake activities in the civil sphere. In other words, it is not an institution, but a branch of professional activity. Within this group, the professionals who, with a license certified by the Maritime Authority (in Brazil’s case, the Brazilian Navy), operate vessels on a professional basis are called seafarers.
Expressive figures
The greatness of the Brazilian merchant trade can be seen in the numbers. Port movements (in authorized terminals or organized ports) from January 2020 to October 2024 totaled more than 5.5 billion tons, according to the Waterway Statistics of the National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ).
Of these, long-haul navigation, i.e. between countries (crossing the ocean), was responsible for the arrival and departure of more than 4 billion tons; cabotage – navigation between national ports -, almost 950 million tons; and inland waterways, for the handling of more than 570 million tons.
Origin and formation
The participation of merchant navies in the world dates back to the time when man, adventurous and eager to increase his trade, looked to the seas as a way of overcoming the barriers that limited him. Since then, the conquest of the seas has become essential for the development of the nations that look to them.
For Brazil, which occupies a remarkable geographical position, with an extensive strip of land bathed by the sea, mastery of these waters or, more precisely, mastery of maritime communications is indispensable. In the meantime, modern merchant ships need crews capable of operating them: teams of well-educated, trained and disciplined professionals. According to Brazilian regulations, the command of such ships must be carried out by civilians who are part of the (unpaid) naval reserve.
The Merchant Marine Officers’ Training School (EFOMM) is a University of the Sea. It is a reference center for the training of qualified Merchant Marine Officers, not only from Brazil, but also for young people from countries that do not have a school of this type, such as Peru, Panama, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, as well as those that have exchange programs.
Teaching activities are carried out at the Almirante Graça Aranha (CIAGA) and Almirante Braz de Aguiar (CIABA) Instruction Centers, both linked to the Brazilian Navy (MB). At EFOMM, officers are trained in two different courses: Nautical and Machine. For both, students study at the school on a boarding basis for three years, followed by a one-year internship on board. The course lasts a total of eight semesters.
Family at sea
First Lieutenant Melca Dias, a former merchant seaman who is now a Brazilian Navy officer working in Waterway Traffic Safety, says she had a memorable experience at the EFOMM during the three years she worked in the civilian sector. However, the need to stabilize herself in a profession led her to follow the path of the military, joining the MB’s Technical Staff of Officers.
She said that her work, which is directly linked to the inspection of merchant activities, relies heavily on prior knowledge of the peculiarities of ships and documentation related to vessels.
“The Merchant Navy was a promising environment, where I made many friends that I still have today. Initially, what motivated me were the attractive salaries and the opportunity to have a very dynamic life, but a lot has changed on a personal level,” she explains. Her husband, Igor de Aquino, is a merchant seaman and has worked in the industry for 12 years, today as Chief Engineer on commercial ships. “One of us would have to be at home to look after the family more closely,” added First Lieutenant (T) Melca Dias.
Today, for the couple, reconciling recent motherhood with their work is still a challenging routine, especially at times like Christmas. “There’s always a feeling that something is missing, but we’ve adapted and we know it’s for a greater purpose, which today is to give our son a better life.
Patron of the Merchant Navy
Visconde de Mauá, born on December 28, 1813, in Arroio Grande (RS), was a Brazilian business pioneer. After a trip to England, he identified the potential of maritime routes for national economic growth. His strategic investments in the sector led to the creation of the Ponta da Areia Foundry and Shipyard Establishment (1846), in Niterói (RJ), now known as the Mauá Shipyard. His contribution was recognized, making him the Patron of the Brazilian Merchant Marine.
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias