Third ABDM Congress on Maritime and Port Law

For the third year in a row, the São Paulo section of the Associação Brasileira de Direito Marítimo – ABDM-SP (Brazilian Maritime Law Association) held its Congress on Maritime and Port Law.  

Santa Cecilia University organised the event, held in the auditorium of the Sheraton Santos Hotel on 4 and 5 November 2021, and, once again, supported by Proinde among other ABDM members. The seminar was broadcast live.

Day one
On the first day, the panel “Logistic Barriers Arising from the Pandemic” addressed the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak for the Brazilian maritime and port sector. The second panel discussed the “Shipping Agent Responsibilities and CARF Precedent 185”. The panellists analysed in detail the unfortunate decision of the Administrative Council of Tax Appeals (CARF), which ruled that the agents of a foreign carrier are liable for customs fines.

“Regulatory Stability and Legal Certainty in the Maritime and Port Sectors” brought a director from the National Agency of Waterways Transport (ANTAQ) and port specialists who discussed the need for legal certainty, free pricing and private investments in the maritime and port sectors.  

Ending the first day, the panel “Challenges in the Privatisation Process at the Port of Santos” brought together the president of the Santos Port Authority and other authorities and port experts who discussed the actions being taken by the Ministry of Infrastructure to leave Latin America’s largest port ready for privatisation, scheduled to happen by the end of 2022. The last panel of the day was followed by a cocktail offered by the organisers and supporters of the event.

Day two
The last day of the event was opened with the panel “Whether or Not OGMO is Essential in Hiring Casual Workers”, followed by the panel “Labour Relationships in the Maritime and Port Activities” which featured representatives of port operators and a Justice from the Superior Labour Court (TST) to discuss TST recent decision ruling that casual port workers should be recruited from the unions through the Casual Port Labour Management Body (OGMO).

The third panel, “Cyber Risks in the Maritime and Port Sectors”, chaired by Proinde partner and ABDM member Carlos Augusto Cabral, grouped IT experts who analysed the ever-present threats posed to maritime transport and the supply chain and concluded that people are still the weakest link in data protection across the industry.

The “Role of ESG and Compliance in the O&G Industry” panel assembled an expert public prosecutor and specialists in the field. They debated best practices and trends in the environment, social and corporate governance, as well as compliance in the oil and gas industry.

The eighth and final panel of the event, “Ratification of International Conventions in Brazil”, was attended by ABDM president, Luis Felipe Galante, and an expert lawyer. Representatives of the Brazilian Maritime Authority and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs joined the panel remotely. They spoke about the current regulatory standing of the country in the international scene and the expectation that it will sign other relevant conventions adopted by the IMO.

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