The Committee for the Amazon, National Integration & Development held  this Tuesday, the 20th, a public hearing which presented a report of activities of the  Working Group (GT) that elaborates the public policies for the state of Amazon inland navigation.  The Working Group was created on June 12th of last year by Ordinance 152/2008 of the Ministry of Transportation.  The Working Group introduced a diagnosis of passengers and cargo transportation in the Amazon, highlighting the lack of subsidized credit for shipbuilding, renewal and modernization of the fleet. Only three legislative bills out of 505 bills financed by the Merchant Marine Fund (FMM) have been destined to transportation of passengers, and none of them in the Amazon.    The Working Group presented as a proposal a draft of a legislative Bill to facilitate the access of small and medium size shipowners, shipyards and shipbuilders to the Merchant Marine Fund – FMM. The bill anticipates loan facility of up to 100% of the vessels, a 2-year  grace-period extendable for an additional year, maturities of up to 12 years  and a performance bonus of up to 50%. The bonus will be assumed by a Special Fund to be created, basically comprised by 3% from the funds of the Merchant Marine Fund – resulting in approximately R$69 million per year.  The proposal currently under analysis by the Civilian Household, may be submitted for analysis of the Congress under a legislative bill format or provisional measure, or come into force through a presidential decree, as deemed convenient by the President of Republic.