U.S. grant for Brazil vessel traffic system study

U.S. grant for Brazil vessel traffic system study    The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has awarded the Brazilian government a $674,000 grant to fund a feasibility study on the implementation of vessel traffic management systems at four of the South American country's main ports.
   The large volume of commercial activity transiting each year through Brazil’s thirty-four public ports has lead to logistical challenges for Latin America’s largest economy, USTDA said. The grant also comes at a time when Brazil is preparing for tremendous increases in passenger transit during the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016.
   “Improved logistics are needed to minimize the likelihood of vessel collisions and bottlenecks,” said U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas in a statement. “By improving vessel flow and shortening berthing times, the project will yield environmental benefits by reducing carbon emissions, an Obama administration priority.”
   This is the second initiative USTDA has undertaken with Brazil's Special Secretariat of Ports (SEP). SEP was also awarded a grant for an ongoing USTDA intelligent cargo and network port logistics chain technical assistance project that began earlier this year.
   The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded feasibility study will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) Web site. A link to the FBO announcement will be posted to USTDA’s Web site. SEP will select the U.S. contractor that will complete the feasibility study.