Brazil Equipment & Engineering Services

Two recent dam failures in Brazil, of structures built according to the Upstream Dam method, inspired changes in regulations. Since those two disasters, the dam building security law has been changed by the Brazilian Mining Agency (ANM), forbidding the construction of new dams using the Upstream Dam method and mandating the decommissioning of the existing 107 dams built under that system.

In order to build new dams, decommission the existing ones, and adapt those to the new rules - including relocating affected populations to brand new cities, cleaning up rivers, and other related projects, in what could be considered one of the largest infrastructure projects in the world.

The supply of equipment and services could represent business for U.S. companies in unmanned equipment operated for remote operation, drilling rigs for drilling and structure investigation, geotechnical monitoring, satellite image (interferometry).  Companies with experience in the areas of engineering, construction, decommissioning, geotechnics, reforestation, relocation of cities (including prefabricated houses, schools, etc.), and projects in general are encouraged to explore this market. .

For further details, please contact Patrick Levy, U.S. Commercial Service Brazil - Environmental Sector Specialist
patrick.levy@trade.gov