Deal between Santos Port, Marimex lays grounds for new railway turning loop

A decade-long dispute came to a close on Thursday (10/8) with the signing of a deal between the Port Authority of Santos (APS) and Marimex. The signed commitment outlines the company’s transfer to a 102,000 m² area previously occupied by Teval. The vacated space will give way for the construction of a railway turning loop, which will bolster the flow of agricultural goods by 20 million tonnes per year, bringing benefits to over 13 terminals on the right bank of the Port of Santos.

The Release Term was signed by Marimex’s partner, Antônio Carlos Fonseca Cristiano, known as Caio, along with Anderson Pomini, the president of the Port Authority, João Almeida, president of the Internal Railway of the Port of Santos (Fips), and Rogério Santos, the mayor of Santos. This resolution, facilitated by the APS board, not only puts an end to a long-standing dispute but also enhances the competitiveness and efficiency of the Port of Santos.

The construction of the railway platform will be undertaken by FIPS, a special-purpose entity that brings together Rumo, MRS Logística, and VLI. The timeline for completing the operation, including Marimex’s relocation and the railway siding’s construction, is 36 months.

Marimex Case

A legal conflict involving Marimex and the Federal Government had been obstructing the development of a railway turning loop at the Port of Santos for nearly a decade. This structure was deemed essential for expanding the logistical capacity of the largest port in the southern hemisphere, which is also a key outlet for Brazilian agricultural exports.

The railway loop, designed as a circular yard facilitating cargo transshipment without train disassembly, will now be implemented thanks to the signed deal. The legal dispute involved both the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) and the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF-1).

The lack of an agreement hampered the development of a solution to avoid a bottleneck in the port sector, especially since rail freight transportation capacity for the uphill routes was projected to exceed 90 million tonnes in the medium term. Meanwhile, grain movement in Brazilian agriculture was approaching 85 million tonnes annually.

Upon taking office, Anderson Pomini, the president of the Port Authority of Santos, initiated a dialogue with Marimex, engaging in successive meetings that ultimately led to the now-closed deal. “The current board, following Minister Márcio França’s guidance, is actively seeking solutions to propel the growth of the Port of Santos, fostering prosperity and employment for both the region and the nation,” remarked Pomini.

Sharing is caring!