Otto Luiz Burlier is the new National Secretary of Waterways.

Executive takes over after Dino Antunes' departure, announces Wednesday night (29)

The Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, announced this Wednesday (29) the appointment of Otto Luiz Burlier da Silveira Filho as the new National Secretary of Waterways. He takes over the position after the departure of Dino Antunes Batista, scheduled for Friday (31). He had been in the post since April of last year, when the ministry was created.

The government highlighted Burlier's vast experience in logistics and infrastructure. "He assumes the National Secretariat of Waterways and Navigation (SNHN) with the mission of consolidating waterways as an essential part of the Brazilian logistics network, promoting sustainable, efficient and integrated solutions for national transport," says the statement from the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor).

Linked to the Ministry of National Navigation, the SNHN (National Secretariat for Hydrography and Navigation) was created to formulate and implement public policies aimed at strengthening inland navigation, focusing on reducing logistics costs, energy transition, and promoting regional development.

Trajectory

A career civil servant, Otto Luiz Burlier has over 15 years of experience in strategic positions related to logistics infrastructure in the federal government. He was Director of Port Management and Modernization at the then Ministry of Infrastructure and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Companhia das Docas do Estado da Bahia (Codeba), where he focused on service efficiency and port governance.

The new secretary also served on the Investment Partnerships Program (PPI) team and held technical positions in the Ministry of Planning, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Secretariat of Ports of the Presidency of the Republic, contributing to the planning and execution of priority projects in the port, airport, railway, highway, and waterway sectors.

Having worked on key infrastructure programs such as PAC and Avançar Parcerias, Burlier has accumulated experience in public policies for intermodal logistics, regulatory review, and institutional coordination, with a focus on the development of national infrastructure.

Recognition

During the announcement, Minister Silvio Costa Filho highlighted Dino Antunes' contribution to structuring the secretariat and developing the technical and legal foundations for consolidating waterways as a national infrastructure priority. "Dino, you are marked in history as the first National Secretary of Waterways. And it's not easy to begin a journey like this, structuring a secretariat from scratch, with commitment and dedication to the country," the minister stated.

Priorities

Upon assuming the position, Otto Luiz Burlier's priorities will include enabling waterway concessions – such as the Southern Section of the Paraguay Waterway, with a tender expected in the second half of 2025 –, coordinating with the productive sector to enhance the use of waterways in the country's main logistics corridors, and implementing projects aligned with the ecological transition and decarbonization of transportation.