VLI invests R$38 million to expand rail fertilizer handling capacity at Tiplam

VLI, a logistics solutions company that operates railways, ports and terminals, has completed construction of an additional rail line at the Luiz Antonio Mesquita Port Integration Terminal (Tiplam), in Santos, on the coast of São Paulo state.

With an investment of R$38 million and stretching 2 km, the new structure was adapted to increase rail loading volumes for fertilizers, which will supply production chains in Brazil’s interior, mainly in Mato Grosso.

The improvement is expected to increase operating capacity by up to 30%, providing greater flexibility, reducing waiting times and increasing cargo volumes handled.

“This is an investment focused on efficiency, value creation and the integration of our logistics chain, directly connected to VLI’s commitment to supporting our customers and agribusiness. With this expansion, we will ensure greater fluidity, predictability and competitiveness in the supply of essential inputs for Brazilian production,” said Marcelo Cardoso, VLI’s operations director for the Southeast Corridor.

Tiplam is part of VLI’s Southeast Corridor, which connects Brazil’s Center-West to the Baixada Santista region through the Ferrovia Centro-Atlântica railway, forming a highly efficient logistics system. In addition to fertilizer imports, the terminal also exports cargoes such as grains, including corn, soybeans and meal, as well as sugar.

Draft increase

In the first half of 2025, the terminal had already undergone improvement works to increase the draft at berths 2, 3 and 4, as well as in the Piaçaguera channel itself. This made it possible to raise the maximum draft — the distance between the waterline and the bottom of the vessel — from 13.35 meters to 14.10 meters, allowing an increase of about 10% in the cargo capacity of ships operating at the site.

The project contributed to Tiplam’s record performance in 2025, when it handled 14.3 million net tonnes, a volume more than 6% higher than in 2024. Also last year, the terminal recorded its highest monthly fertilizer discharge, at 285,000 tonnes in September, and its largest single-vessel shipment, with about 83,000 tonnes of sugar.

Source: VLI

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