en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) has provided BRL 377.2 million in financing to Brado Logística to modernize railway operations, expand logistics capacity, and strengthen domestic intermodal transport. The funds will be allocated to infrastructure works, equipment acquisition, and technology development.
Of this amount, BRL 305.2 million was contracted through the FINEM railway credit line and the "More Innovation" program, while an additional BRL 72 million was provided via FINAME, specifically for the acquisition of locomotives to expand capacity. The contracts were signed in August and September 2025, each with a 10-year term. The project is expected to create 586 jobs, including 171 direct and 415 indirect positions, covering operations, supply chain, and areas near the terminals.
The main financing will be directed to the Carrossel Project, which aims to create a central freight distribution corridor along the Santos, Sumaré (SP), and Rondonópolis (MT) axis by integrating civil engineering, automation, and new equipment. The project seeks to connect industrial centers with the domestic market more efficiently, with lower logistics costs and greater sustainability.
The acquired machinery includes gantry cranes for container handling at railway terminals. With greater load capacity and operational precision, these equipment pieces speed up loading and unloading processes, improving safety and productivity. The project also invests in information systems and technologies for monitoring and optimization, as well as terminal physical renovations and infrastructure works.
BNDES President Aloizio Mercadante stated that improved container handling efficiency reduces costs and delivery times, enhances competitiveness, and promotes innovation in railway transport. Compared to pure road transport, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to seven times.
In the first quarter of this year, the Carrossel Project budget was BRL 23 million, with investments distributed across three main areas: engineering, assets, and technology. From April to December, the already initiated schedule is expected to continue, with a planned budget of BRL 35 million, distributed across two terminal investments and the same strategic areas.
Brado Logística CEO Luciano Johnsson stated that this is a milestone in the company's innovation journey. The project achieves the goal of combining technology and sustainability to further modernize Brazilian intermodal transport. The company is the first in Brazil to undertake such a project and believes it will become a benchmark for future logistics efficiency.
These investments strengthen the company's role in railway logistics for containerized cargo and expand the infrastructure needed for the growth of Brazilian intermodal transport. Historically concentrated on mineral and agricultural bulk cargo transport, railways are now increasing their share in the circulation of general goods and high-value-added products.
The funds will be disbursed through an execution amount reimbursement method, where the company can request payment of the financing from BNDES according to the stages set in the schedule.
Brado is Brazil's leading container operator, handling 86% of rail freight (in TKU), with its own infrastructure consisting of locomotives, railcars, containers, terminals, and warehouses, and has established strategic partnerships with major domestic consumer centers.
