Once again, the public company that administrates the ports of Paraná State, in Brazil, was the only port authority in the world invited to participate with a speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop 26). As it happened in 2019, in Madrid/Spain, Portos do Paraná is the only representative of the sector at the event in Glasgow, UK, from 31st October to 12th November 2021.

The CEO Luiz Fernando Garcia says that the invitation to be part of the programming at COP26 is a way of recognizing the work developed by the public company in the environmental area. “Once again we were the only port authority between all of them, in the world, to give a speech at a UN event. This demonstrate that, besides being recognized in Brazil as the best administration in the public ports at the country, we are also seen worldwide for our effort in the environment area”, he explains.

Represented by the Environment Director, João Paulo Santana, the public company presented two panels at one of the official parallel events, both on November 3rd. The first on “Proven models that accelerate the progress of the entire industry to achieve climate goals and food systems”; and the second with the theme “Defining the future of sustainable finance and social and environmental investments”, demonstrating the search for new alternatives for sustainable development.

According to Santana, the mission of Portos do Paraná at the COP26 is to share with the world all the actions that have been done at the coast of Parana State, in Brazil. “We are showing, specially, the program for the Recovery of Degraded Areas (Prad), which is being implemented around the Bay of Paranaguá, in the municipality of Antonina”, he says. “At the same time, we are presenting a project that is coming off the ground, the technical, economic and environmental feasibility study for the construction of a bio digesting plant for grains, at the Port of Paranagua, with the objective of producing electricity and also biogas”.

Some actions of the public company to the future were also shown at the occasion. “At last, we presented the signature of a commitment letter with the Itaipu Technological Park, to proceed with the studies to build a green hydrogen plant operating inside the Paranagua Port”, as Santana tells.

ENERGY MATRIX – For the Director of Environment, the participation of Portos do Paraná is also necessary to accompany the discussions that are taking place worldwide, especially with regard to financing changes in the planetary energy matrix.

“Everybody is aware of the need to change our activities to use energy that does not come from fossil fuels, to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and reduce climate change on the planet”, stresses Santana.

PRESENTED PROJECTS

PRAD – Presented at COP25, the Degraded Areas Recovery Program (Prad) is already in operation around the bay of Paranaguá and Antonina, in partnership with the local community. In the basins of Rio Cachoeira and Rio Cacatu, the service is carried out through a catalog and dialogue with families whose properties have degraded areas, especially riparian forests.

The objective is to recover these sites and monitor how much sediment is prevented from being transported into the bay. In other words, Portos do Paraná is planning to reduce siltation through the recovery of riparian forest, which as it grows will contribute to carbon sequestration, hold sediment in place and, in the future, save on dredging.

BIODIGESTING PLANT – Another project presented at the conference is the construction of a biodigestion plant for organic waste at the Port of Paranagua, fed with material that is now swept from the port area and sent to the landfill. This product generates on-site greenhouse gases, in addition to releasing carbon during sweeping, transport and on-site disposal logistics.

The technical feasibility study is being prepared in partnership with the company CI Biogás, located within the non-profit Itaipu Binacional Technological Park, with expertise in feasibility studies for biogas plants.

According to Santana, the future projects are interspersed, since obtaining energy through biodigestion will generate digestate, which is expected to be used in the implementation of Prad in communities. “It will bring more biodiversity and prevent the bay from silting, reducing dredging in the future. These are permaculture and agroforestry practices that we are bringing into the port activity, as a way of mitigating the impacts of our activity”, explains the Director of Environment at Portos do Paraná.

GREEN HYDROGEN – Portos do Paraná also presented another project that is being developed at the Itaipu Technological Park, the so-called green hydrogen plants. A letter of commitment was signed for the development of the project that involves technical, economic and environmental feasibility studies for the production of green hydrogen inside the Port of Paranagua, possibly through the deployment of solar panels.

The objective is to consume green hydrogen on site, in the port fleet or in the production of electricity, to deduct from the electricity bill. A study is being prepared on what will be the best use of the product.

OTHER PRACTICES – A presentation was also made regarding all environmental monitoring, which again generated recognition of the 2020 Environmental Development Index (IDA) through the recent award from the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), which scored the Port of Paranaguá as the best-placed large public port on the subject in the country.