The Brazilian Naval Industry and its Impacts on Professional Education and Research Development

Abstract

Abstract: 

The present study examines the recent trajectory of the Brazilian naval industry, emphasizing the period of expansion and productive decentralization that occurred between 1997 and 2014, which was strongly induced by state incentives and the Merchant Marine Fund. The research demonstrates that the geographic deconcentration of shipyards, shifting from the Rio de Janeiro axis to the South, North, and Northeast regions, catalyzed regional development and impelled the demand for qualified labor. This shift resulted in the implementation of new Naval Engineering courses and the consolidation of cooperation networks in Research and Development (R&D), exemplified by the creation of RICINO. However, the analysis points out that the crisis triggered in 2014, associated with the retraction in oil prices and the unfolding of Operation Car Wash, generated idleness and unemployment within the sector. It is concluded that the resumption and sustainability of the naval industry imperatively depend on the formulation of long-term public policies that articulate economic fostering with the strengthening of professional education and technological innovation.

Keywords: Brazilian Naval Industry; Productive Decentralization; Professional Education.