en.Wedoany.com Reported - Brazil's Ministry of Transport and MRS company completed a series of infrastructure projects in the Baixada Santista region this Tuesday (30th), including the delivery of the Integrated Operations Control Center (CCOI), with a total investment of approximately 2 billion reais. These projects enhance the railway logistics capacity to the Port of Santos, aiming to strengthen cargo flow at Latin America's largest port.
Transport Minister George Santoro stated at the inauguration ceremony that this investment aims to increase the productivity of the Port of Santos by handling more cargo in less time, thereby reducing logistics costs and enhancing Brazil's competitiveness, while also helping to resolve urban conflicts and bring more safety to the public.
The new CCOI will allow concessionaires MRS, Rumo, VLI, and the Port of Santos Internal Railway (FIPS) to jointly plan train operations entering the port. The integration of operations is expected to improve coordination among companies, increase railway traffic efficiency, and expand port service capacity.
In addition to modernizing the railway network, this investment has created approximately 2,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Guilherme Segalla de Mello, President of MRS Logística, stated that the goal has always been to work harmoniously with other railways to achieve longer trains, higher arrival efficiency, and deeper digital integration, improving overall operational performance through accurate information.
Delivered projects include the construction of six new railway marshalling yards, modernization of over 90 kilometers of tracks, installation of 126 new sets of switches (AMVs), and implementation of signaling systems to enhance railway network safety and operational capacity.
The projects also enable the railway to accommodate trains up to 2,400 meters in length and include interventions in urban mobility and safety, such as the Cubatão viaduct and pedestrian bridges in Santos and Guarujá. These projects are part of MRS's renewal investment plan, which has been approved by the Ministry of Transport, the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT), and regulatory bodies.
Guilherme Sampaio, Director of ANTT, stated that the early renewal will have a significant impact, and the harmonious coexistence of different modes of transport is precisely what is expected from multimodal integration, with the transformation of the Port of Santos exemplifying this process.
The projects completed in the Baixada Santista region are part of an investment cycle led by the Ministry of Transport. Between 2023 and 2025, total investments in Brazil's railway infrastructure reached 30.54 billion reais, driving modernization, expansion, and operational capacity enhancement projects nationwide.
Santoro concluded that by viewing the railway network from an integrated perspective, when ports are connected, cargo transport options expand, strengthening the entire Brazilian export chain.
The strategy also includes new structural projects. This Monday (29th), the Ministry of Transport signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of the São Paulo Ferroanel project, which will enhance logistics capacity, reduce operational bottlenecks, and enable the separation of freight and passenger train operations in the metropolitan area of the São Paulo capital.
