Teams from Portos do Paraná and the Boskalis/Fabio Bruno/Sli/Dec Consortium have visited island communities along the Paraná Coast in recent days to talk about the rock quarrying work (demolition), which will take place at the Port of Paranaguá.
The professionals went from door to door, in homes and businesses, to talk to local residents about how the removal of a small piece of the rock mass known as Pedra da Palangana will happen.
The action took place on the islands of Valadares, Teixeira, Europinha, Amparo, Eufrasina Piaçaguera and São Miguel. In addition to understanding how the work will be, the need for environmental safety and the schedule of activities, fishermen, traders and family members were alerted to false news disseminated through social networks. Fake News lied, for example, when informing that Ponta da Cruz would be destroyed and that the Cotinga channel would be closed.
For the director of Environment at Portos do Paraná, João Paulo Santana, visiting communities demonstrates the respect that the port has for its residents. “This conversation helps them understand the overthrow and all the precautions that are being taken so that the environment in which they live is affected as little as possible. The work is important to reduce the risk of accidents to navigation”.
ENVIRONMENTAL CARE – The teams explained, in detail, the mitigation measures adopted to carry out the work. In a first step, the divers identify the burrows, remove the fish and plug the burrows into the rock.
The marine mammal sighting protocol provides for four on-board observers. If there is the visualization of animals nearby, the detonations are stopped, until they move away from the place. Fish, turtles and mammals are also driven away through early detonation of reduced charges and the use of acoustic devices. After each detonation, inspections will be carried out to find weakened animals that, if found, will be collected and sent for rehabilitation.
A day before the start of the detonations, thorn nets with circular hooks will be installed, so as not to harm the animals. Those captured will be measured, transported and released in another area in Paranaguá Bay. The work will feature state-of-the-art technology to protect marine animals. A curtain of bubbles will be activated before each detonation, causing a physical and acoustic isolation barrier around the rocks.
NAVIGATION – During the construction period, the circulation of small vessels will not be impacted and access to the Cotinga channel will not be obstructed. Four signal buoys are installed around the work and audible warnings will be used to alert about the detonation: 20 minutes before, 5 minutes, 1 minute and continuously until the end.
ABOUT OVERHILL – Overturning dredging is the removal of a small piece of rock mass – a volume of 22,300 cubic meters – from the formations known as the “Pedra da Palangana”. The entire complex has more than 200 thousand cubic meters and the action reaches only 12% of the stone. The work has been awaited for years by the entire port community, as the stone peaks pose risks to navigation and the environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSE – The work complies with all the requirements of the highest federal environmental agency, with an environmental license issued by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). The execution is included in the installation license 1144/2016, of the 2017 deepening dredging.
TRANSPARENCY: Portos do Paraná provides a special page on the subject, with the complete schedule of works, on this site. More information about the overruling can be obtained by calling 0800 041 1133 or Ouviria.appa@appa.pr.gov.br.
Source: Portos do Paraná
