Brazil's long coastline and vast waterways in most of the hinterland offer a good potential for economic use of waterborne transport. (Brazil transports more than 350 million tons annually by water.) However, this mode of transport has not been fully exploited due to the initial investments required and especially because of its low speed. Although the merchant marine has increased in the last three decades, its long range capabilities are still not in proportion to the volume and growth rate of Brazil's overseas trade. In 1989, approximately two percent of waterborne goods were transported in containers. There are 16 fully equipped harbours in Brazil. Among the busiest ports are Santos, Rio de Janeiro, and Porto Alegre. Two waterways are improving river transport inside Brazil and with its south and southwest neighbouring countries: The Paraná-Paraguay and the Tietê-Paraná waterways, the later also called the Mercosul Waterway.
