17.03.2025 | ABIFER | Notícias do Mercado
Fonte: BN Americas Data: 17/03/2025
The Brazilian government’s plan to unlock freight rail projects is likely to receive a major contribution from mining firms.
Of the US$70bn projected to be invested by mining companies between 2025 and 2029, around US$11bn will be for logistics, according to sector association Ibram.
“Mining in Brazil, primarily associated with iron ore, is highly relevant on a global scale and will continue to be so for years, which demands a large volume of investments in logistics,” Vicente Abate, president of rail equipment manufacturers’ association Abifer, told BNamericas.
The federal government is planning to launch a national railroad program in the coming weeks, unveiling details of multiple projects. Some information already indicates that mining firms, along with the agricultural sector, will play a key role in the plan.
“Our expectation is that, from this plan, the projects related to freight transportation will receive 70% of investments from the private sector and 30% from the public sector. The main goal of this plan is to increase freight transportation by rail in Brazil to 40% of the logistics matrix by 2030, compared with just over 20% currently,” said Abate.
Recent advances
Even before the formal announcement of the railroad plan, some details are emerging.
Espírito Santo state’s environment and water resources regulator, Iema, is in the final stage of evaluating the necessary documentation for the approval of the environmental impact study of mining giant Vale for construction of a stretch of the Estrada de Ferro Vitória-Minas rail line, according to a state government spokesperson.
The stretch of around 80km will be built between Santa Leopoldina and Anchieta, a city where the Ubu port is located and will require investments of 6bn reais (US$1.04bn). The railroad will be used to transport iron ore.
Meanwhile, Cedro Participações, the holding company of iron ore miner Cedro, obtained authorization from land transport regulator ANTT for the expropriation of land to construct a railroad between Mateus Leme and São Joaquim de Bicas, municipalities in Minas Gerais state, said a company spokesperson.
The project, comprising a 32.4km line, is likely to need investment of 1.5bn reais and will also be used to transport iron ore.
Transnordestina
The national government, meanwhile, announced a plan to launch a tender in the second half of this year for works on the Transnordestina railway in Pernambuco state.
The 548km section, which connects Salgueiro to Suape port, is receiving investments of 450mn reais from federal government program PAC.
Transnordestina is seen as essential for the transportation of grain, reducing pressure on northeast roads and cutting emissions.
The line is 1,757km long in total with 1,209km connecting Eliseu Martins in Piauí state to Pecém port in Ceará state, passing through Salgueiro.
FICO-FIOL
Finally, ANTT concluded the public sessions to gather suggestions and contributions on the concession contract for a 1,708km stretch of the east-west rail corridor, which includes parts of the FICO and FIOL railways.
The stretch crosses the states of Bahia, Goiás and Mato Grosso.
The government intends to publish the notice and hold the auction for the contract before the end of 2026.
