Brazil’s Largest Port Investment, “Moegão,” Reaches 52.5% Completion

The Moegão project has reached 52.5% completion, according to an announcement by Portos do Paraná this Monday (16). This is the largest public port infrastructure project currently underway in Brazil. The complex engineering project will connect 11 port terminals through overhead galleries, significantly reducing railroad crossings in the city—from 16 to just five.

Luiz Fernando Garcia, President of Portos do Paraná, explained that the new logistics facility will enable trains to be received with greater efficiency and speed. “We are investing in a revolutionary project for grain transportation by rail, which will increase the productivity of Paraná’s ports,” he said. Once completed, the project is expected to increase railway capacity by 60%.

The State Government of Paraná, through Portos do Paraná, is investing BRL 592 million in the railcar unloading system and conveyors and another BRL 61 million in the road-rail access infrastructure. The project is funded by both internal resources and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). Once complete, the East Pier (Cais Leste) will be able to handle 24 million tons of cargo annually.

“The Moegão works are advancing at full speed and will bring benefits not only to companies operating in the Port of Paranaguá but also to the entire state’s economy,” added Sandro Alex, Secretary of Infrastructure and Logistics.

The new complex will include railcar unloaders (moegas), a vertical transport system (bucket elevators), a horizontal transport system (conveyor belts), product transfer towers, terminal feed towers, railway and integrator scales, utilities, an administrative building, and a maintenance facility.

The construction began with foundation work, concrete block casting, and the assembly of pillars and beams for the towers, as well as civil works. The installation of structural elements essential for the complex’s operation, such as the aerial galleries, is currently in progress. These galleries are made of modules that house three conveyor belts each, with a capacity to move up to 2,000 tons of vegetable grains per hour.

“We’ve made great progress with the metal galleries and are maintaining the same pace with equipment installation inside them. The core of our scope is well on track,” said project planning supervisor Marcos Aurélio Magno Bonzato.

MOEGÃO – The new structure will streamline the unloading process, which is currently done individually at each terminal. Currently, approximately 550 railcars are unloaded daily. With Moegão, unloading will be centralized in a single facility, capable of handling up to 900 railcars daily.

The system will include three independent railway lines capable of receiving 180 railcars simultaneously. Since trains will no longer need to enter individual terminals, shunting operations currently required for unloading will be eliminated. This change will also significantly reduce traffic disruptions in the city.

Once positioned, cargo will drop by gravity from the railcars into funnels (moegas) located below ground level. From there, grains or meals will be transported via conveyor belts to elevators, which will carry the products to the aerial galleries. These galleries will be connected to port terminals, where the goods will be stored until loaded onto ships.

“The conveyor belts will link the terminals directly to the port zone. The galleries will span 1.7 km,” explained Victor Kengo, Director of Engineering and Maintenance at Portos do Paraná. The project is scheduled for completion by December 2025, with operations expected to begin in 2026.

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