en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Brazilian Ministry of Transport (Ministério dos Transportes) and MRS Logística signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday (29th) to advance preliminary studies for the São Paulo Railway Loop (Ferroanel de São Paulo) project. Under the memorandum, MRS will be responsible for conducting technical studies and project designs, covering route analysis, operational capacity, urban and environmental impact assessments, land surveys, implementation timelines, and preliminary estimates of investment and benefits.
The planned railway loop, approximately 53 kilometers long, will connect Itaquaquecetuba to the Perus neighborhood in São Paulo city. Once completed, the project will enable the separation of freight and passenger train operations in the São Paulo metropolitan area. The Ministry stated that separating railway operations will reduce conflicts between different rail transport modes, enhance freight transport capacity, and thereby boost the competitiveness of Brazil's logistics sector.
The memorandum stipulates that MRS must submit a work plan within 12 months after the Ministry and the company jointly determine the technical prerequisites. The Ministry emphasized that the agreement is cooperative and non-binding, and will provide a basis for future decisions related to railway infrastructure planning and investment. "By signing this memorandum, we have initiated studies that will help determine the best approach for implementing the São Paulo Railway Loop. The most important thing is to ensure this project proceeds safely, with proper planning and efficiency," said Minister of Transport George Santoro in a statement.
Since renewing its concession in 2022, MRS has been responsible for the separation of freight and passenger railway networks in the São Paulo metropolitan area under CPTM (Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos), a project aimed at creating dedicated lines for each operation, currently estimated to cost approximately 4 billion reais.
Given that São Paulo's railway logistics issues need to be addressed from a broader perspective, the cost of the railway loop will be higher than the existing separation project. This cost difference was one of the reasons MRS cited when it stated it would not build the loop during the 2022 concession renewal; the loop will provide an alternative route for cargo heading to the Port of Santos that bypasses the São Paulo city center.
