VLI and COPI unveil new fertilizer import corridor in Brazil

VLI and COPI joined forces to inaugurate a state-of-the-art fertilizer import corridor at the Port of Itaqui in Maranhão on Wednesday (14th). This groundbreaking project, which required investments worth approximately R$ 400 million, can handle up to 1.5 million tonnes of raw materials annually, effectively solving the issue of growing fertilizer demand in the Arco Norte region.

Following successful operational tests at the end of 2022, over 100 thousand tonnes of fertilizer inputs were transported through the corridor in 2023. The corridor is strategically designed to serve producers across Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Goiás, Bahia, Piauí, Tocantins, Maranhão, and the Federal District.

COPI loads VLI compositions at the Port of Itaqui. The cargo is then transported via VLI-owned railroads to a new structure specifically designed and built by COPI for this purpose. The facility is located at the Palmeirante Rail Terminal (TIPA) in Tocantins, also owned by VLI. It serves as the hub for receiving, storing, and dispatching fertilizers.

In addition, the new fertilizer import corridor involved acquiring rolling stock to enhance cargo handling capacity. This included two locomotives in the previous year and the delivery of 78 HTT wagons in March. These newly acquired assets supplement the company’s existing fleet operating in the Central-North Corridor, which connects the states of Maranhão and Tocantins.

VLI is a critical player in rail transport for fertilizer inputs, facilitating the movement of approximately 10 million tons annually and serving major industry stakeholders.

Central-North Corridor Industrial Hub 

The inauguration of this logistics corridor marks the beginning of a significant regional transformation propelled by the partnership between VLI and COPI. It sets the stage for creating a vast industrial center at the Palmeirante Terminal, spanning approximately 230 hectares. The terminal will offer leasing opportunities for fertilizer manufacturers, agribusiness trading companies, and other interested sectors looking to establish themselves there.

The proximity to railway operations and the ample storage capacity on-site provide considerable efficiency advantages. Mosaic Fertilizantes made the first major investment in this industrial hub, announcing a BRL 400 million project for a mixing, storage, and distribution unit to be installed at the VLI terminal. VLI is currently negotiating with other interested players seeking to operate within TIPA.

This development has the potential to drive industrialization not only in Tocantins but also in other states under the corridor’s sphere of influence. VLI has a successful track record with this model, as demonstrated by operations on the Centro-Atlântica Railway.

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