Brazil signed, on Monday (7), a memorandum of understanding with China for the development of an integrated rail transport system. The agreement was signed between the Ministry of Transport, through Infra Sa, and the China State Railway Group Institute of Economic Planning and Research, and marks the beginning of a partnership to conduct technical studies aimed at creating a Bioceanic rail corridor. The railroad should connect Brazil to the port of Chancay, Peru, facilitating the flow of Brazilian cargo to the Asian market.
The project, which is part of the new strategic cooperation agenda between the two countries, includes the construction of an Ilhéus railway in Bahia and crosses seven Brazilian states until reaching Acre. From there, the line goes towards the Peruvian coast, crossing the Andes’s mountain range until reaching the Pacific Ocean. According to the Ministry of Transport, this new route may reduce the time of transportation of goods between South America and Asia by up to 12 days, especially benefiting soybean and iron ore exports.
During the signature ceremony, performed virtually, the National Secretary of Railway Transport, Leonardo Ribeiro, stressed that cooperation represents a strategic step for the Brazilian rail sector. According to him, the partnership will allow to face bottlenecks in the country’s transport infrastructure, as well as establishing a direct connection between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The agreement also provides for the exchange of technical knowledge and the joint development of studies on national logistics.
The initiative is also aligned with the Guidelines of the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) and is supported by the Ministry of Planning and Budget. Studies should consider integration with highways and waterways, promoting an intermodal and sustainable transport system. According to Infra SA Director of Administration and Finance, Elisabeth Braga, the company is prepared to lead the preparation of the studies necessary to enable the rail connection between countries.
On the Chinese side, China Director General State Railway Group, Wang Jie, said the partnership is the result of mutual trust between nations and will contribute to the development of transport infrastructure. The signing of the memorandum is the result of joints started in April and reinforced during an official mission to China in May. The analyzes on the Brazilian logistics structure, focused on the flow of the Midwest production, are already underway and will serve as the basis for the planned investments.
