Waterway Panorama - Antaq

INLAND NAVIGATION
Completion of Tucuruí Locks
Rivers cross the Center-West and Amazon
regions, forming the largest drainage area
entirely within the national territory, coupled
with their strategic role with great potential
for hydropower, agriculture, mining, navigation,
and power generation. The basin includes
the states of Pará, Tocantins, Goiás, Mato
Grosso and Maranhão, in addition of the Federal
District.
This area is distinguished by high production
of maize, rice, soybeans and sugar cane, among
other products, with great potential for increased
production. The basin formed by the rivers gathers
grain producing areas and includes the livestock
and mineral sectors, with extensive production
of aluminum, asbestos, bauxite,
limestone, copper, iron ore, and nickel. The agricultural
potential of the waterway joins the multimodal
network, where the waterways are part of
the Carajás and North-South railways, bringing
goods to the Port of Itaqui in Maranhão, and Vila
do Conde, in Pará, and maritime transport.
The construction of Tucuruí locks was initiated
in 1981 and halted in 1989. Resumed in September
1998, the works were again interrupted
in December 2002. The last of the work was resumed
in July 2004. In 2007, the project was included
in the Growth Acceleration Plan – PAC,
with the allocation of R$815 million between
2007 and 2010 for the completion of works.
To bridge the gap of 39 meters from the lake
formed by the busbar and the river, 6.5km below,
the Tucuruí presents a general arrangement
of structures with two locks connected by an intermediate
channel which allows for the crossing
and maneuvering of vessels, thus enabling
the fully independent operation of the locks.
This set bridges the gap on site and is developed
on the left bank of the Tocantins River,
starting in the reservoir with Lock 1, embedded
in the earth dam by concrete walls and ending
on Lock 2 and the downstream approach channel
on the Tocantins River, located near the city
of Tucuruí.
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