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The Transnordestina Railway promises to transform the Northeast, but businesspeople doubt that it will be completed by 2027. The project, which involves R$14,9 billion, five thousand jobs and an impact on the GDP of R$7 billion, depends on coordinated actions between the government and the private sector.
The Transnordestina Railway is often presented as a great promise for transform the economic scenario of the Brazilian Northeast, but the project remains shrouded in controversy and suspicion.
Despite constant promises, a group of businesspeople from the industrial and agricultural sectors believe that the railway may never be completed, at least in the next five years.
This uncertainty is reflected in the conversations that circulate behind the scenes at business meetings. After all, is Transnordestina just another “dream from a thousand and one nights”?
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Challenges and failed promises
According to Northeast Daily newspaper, for businesspeople from Ceará, one of the biggest obstacles to believing in the completion of the project is the history of unfulfilled promises.
In April 2024, the management of Transnordestina Logistics Inc. assured President Lula that the trains would be operating by 2027, but distrust persists.
The logistical and financial difficulties of the project are great, and the lack of significant progress in neighboring states, such as Piauí, further aggravates doubts about the viability of the project.
In a recent meeting, one of the businessmen highlighted that, in his investment in aquaculture in Piauí, there is no mention of the project.
This silence is a clear sign that, to date, little or nothing has been accomplished in the region.
The promise that the first cargo would be sent via the Port of Pecém in 2025 also seems far from reality.
The positive view: when the railway can change the Northeast
On the other hand, there are those who view the work with optimism.
Some businesspeople claim that, once completed, Transnordestina could revolutionize the economy of the Northeast.
The project aims to connect important producing regions, from Piauí to the port of Pecém, in Ceará, facilitating the flow of agricultural, mineral and industrial products to the external and internal markets.
According to these businessmen, the railway will also bring great opportunities to cities such as Iguatu, Quixeramobim and Quixadá, where works are already underway and the local population maintains positive expectations.
Construtora Marquise, responsible for executing the works in Ceará, is an experienced company, with a history of large infrastructure projects in Brazil.
Economic and social impact: jobs and qualifications
According to information released by the government, Transnordestina will be a milestone for job creation and workforce qualification in the region.
With a length of 1.206 km and passing through 53 municipalities, the railway is expected to require a total investment of R$14,9 billion, with the potential to create five thousand direct jobs.
The economic impact on the semi-arid Northeast is estimated at around R$7 billion per year in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The Minister of Development and Social Assistance, Wellington Dias, stated that the government is committed to professional qualification, especially among Bolsa Família beneficiaries.
“Qualifica PAC, a partnership between the federal and state governments and the private sector, is training professionals at Transnordestina construction sites,” said the minister.
This shows that the project also has an important social role in addition to its economic impact.
A strategic region for Brazil
The Transnordestina project is not limited to just the flow of grains.
The railway will connect a region known as MATOPIBA, which includes the cerrados of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí and Bahia, one of the fastest growing areas economically in Brazil.
In addition to grains, the region is rich in mineral deposits and has strong potential for fruit growing.
Since the start of construction in 2006, the project has faced several setbacks, including stoppages and changes in planning.
However, with the resumption after agreements with the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU), the federal government, under the leadership of President Lula, guaranteed that the project will be completed by 2027.
Lula reinforces commitment to completing the work
During a visit to the Iguatu region, in Ceará, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reaffirmed his commitment to completing the railway works.
For him, the completion of Transnordestina is vital for Brazil's intermodal integration, reducing dependence on road transport.
According to Lula, “a productive country needs quality highways, railways and waterways to reduce transportation costs.”
The president also assured that, from the government's point of view, all agreements will be fulfilled and that there will be no lack of resources to complete the project.
The railway is expected to be operational by the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027.
The future of the Transnordestina railway is in the hands of the government and the private sector
Despite the optimism of some and the distrust of others, the future of the Transnordestina Railway depends on a combination of efforts between the government, private companies and investors.
The integration between road and rail transport is fundamental to the success of the project, and the Port of Pecém will be a key player in this operation.
There are still doubts about whether the federal government will be able to fulfill all its promises, but the need for diversification of transportation in Brazil and improvements in infrastructure is clear.
What is at stake is the economic future of the Northeast and Brazil's ability to become more competitive in the global market.
With so many promises and challenges, will the Transnordestina Railway finally come to fruition by 2027? Will the impact this project could have on the economy of the Northeast be enough to guarantee its completion?
As long as there is paper to sign and hypocrisy, the father of **** promises everything
Brazil is very backward when it comes to building and maintaining railways. They take too long to get things moving and everything is done manually, which is why it takes years to build a railway here in Brazil. Everything is slow, everything is slow, there is no efficiency in Brazil.