Port of Pecém Anticipates Doubling Cargo with Transnordestina Railroad

The Port of Pecém, located near Pernambuco state’s capital city Fortaleza, is set to double its annual cargo throughput with the completion of the Transnordestina railroad. Hugo Figueirêdo, president of the Industrial Port Complex (Cipp), expressed optimism about the project’s impact.

Transnordestina, with a strong focus on transporting grains and footwear from Ceará and the interior of Piauí and Pernambuco, is expected to increase the cargo volume at the complex by 100% by 2030.

“When cargo starts flowing through Transnordestina, we are bound to see a big jump in cargo throughput. We expect further growth when we start seeing an influx of grains from Transnordestina. By 2030, we should double the volume of cargo we handle today, from 17-18 million tons per year to 35-36 million tons per year,” said Figueirêdo.

This statement was made during the port president’s address on cargo throughput results for the Port of Pecém during the first half of 2024, which saw an 11.3% increase year-on-year. Between January and July this year, the port handled approximately 9 million tons of cargo. Figueirêdo highlighted that the total volume of cargo passing through Pecém, including outbound and inbound cargo, currently goes to 18 million tons.

Currently, the only railroad reaching the Port of Pecém connects Fortaleza from the Port of Mucuripe to São Luís at the Port of Itaqui. Transnordestina Logística S.A. (FTL), a subsidiary of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), operates this railroad, similar to Transnordestina Logística S.A. (TLSA), which is responsible for constructing Transnordestina in Ceará.

Transnordestina Progress in Ceará

It is anticipated that Pecém will start receiving cargo from Transnordestina in 2025. According to Figueirêdo, operations should start next year on the sections that have already been completed. He mentioned that negotiations are ongoing to create a cargo transfer hub in a soon-to-be-designated city in the interior of Ceará, in which trucks will take on the transport of goods to the port. Figueirêdo assured that the port, in its current configuration, is well-equipped to handle the volume of trucks arriving from Transnordestina. With the completion of the railroad and the anticipated high cargo volume, Pecém is expected to undergo expansion.

Of the 1,206 kilometers planned for the railway, approximately 700 kilometers are complete. The railway is operational between São Miguel do Fidalgo, Piauí, and Acopiara, Ceará, and is currently advancing towards Quixeramobim in the Central region of Ceará.

In an interview, Tufi Daher Filho, president of TLSA, reaffirmed the commitment to have the railway operational for grain transport by 2025.

On Friday (Aug 2), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will sanction a law releasing R$3.6 billion for the completion of Transnordestina. The funds will be paid in installments and, according to Daher Filho, are crucial to completing construction works according to the schedule set for the first half of 2027.

The current phase of Transnordestina, known as “Phase 1,” refers to the largest section and connects São Miguel do Fidalgo to the Port of Pecém. Phase 2, approximately 150 kilometers long, is expected to be completed by 2029, linking the Ceará complex to the city of Eliseu Martins in Piauí state.

Source: Diário do Nordeste

Click here to read this story’s original version in Portuguese: https://diariodonordeste.verdesmares.com.br/negocios/com-transnordestina-porto-do-pecem-deve-dobrar-movimentacao-anual-de-cargas-ate-2030-1.3540956

Sharing is caring!