SAILING IS NECESSARY, LET'S NOT BE DENIALISTS

If it weren't for navigation, the exact science of understanding trigonometry, physics, meteorology, geography, biology, astronomy, etc. to use the force of nature in sailboats that transported ancient navigators, even if they didn't name these sciences, the world would not have evolved.

It was by sailing that we expanded our territories and awareness. Today, it is by sailing that we export around 15% of Brazil's total foreign trade. And, between us, it could be much more, given our geographic location and the size of our coast. We could also use river transport much more, eliminating traffic, wear and tear on highways and pollution.

And speaking of tourism and leisure, the immense potential that is wasted day after day, due to the sheer ignorance of a society that has decided to turn its back on water and not take responsibility for its use.

Complex rules of a Navy that is designed to take care of defense and the market and which was given the task of also supervising sports and leisure, even in dams, and of an environmental administration that does not weigh up the cost/benefit between other modes of transport and water transport, making any infrastructure intervention in the water potentially criminal.

Well, if not to talk about a national and international trade route, if not to talk about a route for transporting people, if not to talk about a thriving tourism and leisure market that employs more people than any other in Brazil, let's talk about security and climate disasters:

It will be one year since the tragic disaster that struck São Sebastião, a village 44 km from the city center, more than an hour away on the highway, which was closed on days when the sky barely allowed helicopter flights. Much help arrived by sea. It was by sailing and using public and private piers that professionals, materials and subsistence items reached the victims.

If there was anything missing to make us review our concepts about investing and not investing in navigation infrastructure, there is nothing more to be said. It can be denied. Denying the science of navigation as one denies other sciences. But one cannot deny humanitarian facts.