The federal government transferred the administration of the São Francisco River Waterway to Codeba, aiming to modernize transport and benefit more than 11 million residents in Brazil’s Northeast.
The Ministry of Ports and Airports announced this Wednesday (04) a significant structural change for the flow of wealth in the country’s interior.
The management of the São Francisco River Waterway, known as HN‑500, was transferred to the Bahia State Docks Company (Codeba).
The agreement, signed with the government of Bahia, is valid for 25 years.
The main goal is to reactivate commercial cargo and passenger transport, optimizing logistics in a region that includes the states of Alagoas, Bahia and Pernambuco, directly affecting about 11.5 million people.
A new era for regional logistics
The transition removes operational responsibility from the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT), handing control of the navigable route and the Sobradinho Lock to Codeba.
In total, 15 small port facilities will be managed by the company, which already projects optimistic figures.
The company’s board expects to move roughly 5 million tonnes of goods in the first year of operation.
The waterway is set to become a key axis for the flow of grains, cotton and fruit, sectors that are pillars of the Northeast economy.
“The union of efforts between the federal executive and the state government establishes a new milestone for territorial engineering and the economic integration of Brazil’s interior.”
Impacts beyond navigation
The transition schedule foresees that all