Vastly underused, Brazil seeks to boost its waterway transport system

After three years of inactivity, the lock system at the Sobradinho dam resumed operations at the end of March, once again permitting the passage of boats along a gargantuan stretch of Brazil’s São Francisco River, linking the cities of Pirapora in Minas Gerais state and Juazeiro, roughly 1,371 kilometers away in the northeastern state of Bahia.

The Pirapora-Juazeiro stretch is the most important segment of the São Francisco River, which in turn is the foremost link between Brazil’s Center-West and Northeast regions. Besides forming part of a crucial multimodal distribution chain for agricultural products, it also allows for the transport of passengers and local tourism.

The lock at the Sobradinho dam — sitting on the boundary between the states of Bahia and Pernambuco — raises water levels by 32.5 meters and allows ships and other water vessels to continue on their journey through the Brazilian Northeast. It also became a notable tourist attraction for the surrounding region. But the lock had been inoperable since the end of 2018, as part of its hydraulic, electrical, and mechanical components deteriorated over its 38 years...