Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
46 comments 
ANTT Approved the Construction of the Serra Azul Rail Branch, Which Promises to Revolutionize Mineral Transport and Ease the Dangerous BR.
The Promise of a New Logistics Horizon for Minas Gerais and Brazil Is Closer to Reality.
With the approval of the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT), the construction of a new rail branch, designed to transport tons of iron ore, promises to transform the transport scenario on one of the busiest and most dangerous highways in the country: BR-381.
The proposal is bold: to replace the daily flow of heavy trucks crossing the road, reduce fatal accidents, and even cut carbon emissions.
-
A new Brazilian shopping center worth R$ 400 million will be built in an area equivalent to more than 4 football fields, featuring 90 stores, 5 cinemas, a supermarket, a college, and parking for 1,700 cars, potentially generating 3,000 jobs.
-
Larger than entire cities in Brazil: BYD is building a 4.6 km² complex in Bahia with a capacity for 600,000 vehicles per year, but the discovery of 163 workers in conditions analogous to slavery has shaken the entire project.
-
With an investment of R$ 612 million, a capacity to process 1.2 million liters of milk per day, Piracanjuba inaugurates a mega cheese factory that increases national production, reduces dependence on imports, and repositions Brazil on the global dairy map.
-
Brazilian city gains industrial hub for 85 companies that is equivalent to 55 football fields.
The project, called Serra Azul Rail Branch, is an initiative of Cedro Participações, which, after ANTT’s approval, plans to install a 26 km long branch between Mateus Leme and São Joaquim de Bicas, in the Greater Belo Horizonte area.
The railway line could handle the transport of up to 25 million tons of iron ore per year, removing about 5,000 trucks from the highway daily, according to information from Cedro Participações.
Export Opportunity and Risk Reduction
According to data from ANTT, the branch will connect to the Southeast Regional Network, the main railway line that runs through Minas Gerais toward Rio de Janeiro, ensuring the export of the ore.
The expectation is that the project, in addition to easing the heavy traffic on BR-381, could generate thousands of jobs during the construction and operation phases.
BR-381, known as the “Highway of Death” due to the high number of fatal accidents, is one of the most dangerous stretches in the country.
In the last three years, about 400 deaths have been recorded on the route that runs through Serra Azul, in the metropolitan area of BH.
For Cedro’s Legal and Institutional Vice President, Eduardo Couto, the branch will not only transform the logistics of iron ore transport but will also be an important step toward a more sustainable and secure economy.
“The infrastructure will help reduce emissions of up to 40 million tons of carbon annually and will lower costs, benefiting the production chain of the sector,” Couto explained.
Structure and Capacity: How the Rail Branch Will Be
According to Cedro’s plans, the branch will be operated by five trains capable of carrying up to 130 tons in 132 cars.
Each of these trains represents a replacement of approximately 570 trailers, which will result in a drastic reduction of heavy traffic on BR-381, improving flow and increasing safety for drivers and local communities.
However, the proposal has not advanced without resistance. MRS Logística, the concessionaire responsible for the Southeast Regional Network, raised questions about the project with ANTT, claiming that the decision was made hastily.
MRS sought to exercise its right of preference for the stretch, but its requests for an extension were denied by the agency.
Even with approval, the dispute was taken to the Federal Regional Court, where MRS obtained an injunction to suspend the decision in an attempt to reverse the authorization.
Impasse Between Companies and Legal Action
This disagreement between Cedro and MRS creates an impasse regarding the project’s continuity.
Cedro stated that the suspension obtained by MRS does not have a direct impact on ANTT’s approval since the decision was officially published in the Official Federal Gazette.
While the court decision remains in effect, the infrastructure sector awaits a resolution that can ensure the execution of the branch and achieve the proposed benefits.
For Felipe Fernandes Queiroz, ANTT’s director, the measure is crucial for advancing Brazil’s rail infrastructure.
In his words, “the goal is to promote the expansion of the railway system in the country, without allowing the procrastination of a project with the potential to transform regional safety and the economy.”
Promise of Reducing Accidents and Environmental Impact
The project has the potential to reduce accidents, improve road safety, and contribute to a more sustainable Brazil.
With the replacement of trucks by trains, there will be a significant decrease in harmful gas emissions, according to Cedro.
This means that the impact will not only be economic but also environmental, aligning with sustainability guidelines that are increasingly being demanded by society.
For residents of regions like Mateus Leme and São Joaquim de Bicas, the branch could mean more tranquility, with less heavy vehicle traffic on the roads, fewer accidents, and consequently, a better quality of life.
But with the disputes between companies and the legal suspension, will this project come to fruition? The impasse leaves the future of this mega structure and the impacts it could bring to Minas Gerais and Brazil open-ended.
Qual o trecho a ser percorrido? Qual será o impacto ambiental da ferrovia no município de Igarapé? Quando e quais serão os trechos de desmobilização no trajeto?
Brasil um País atrasado d++ ja era pra ta cheio de ferrovia espalhadas dúvido esse projeto sair os governantes so sabem fazer projetos que duram no maximo 1 mandato e sem falar que essa **** de impacto ambiental que sempre atrapalha e atrasa o desenvolvimento
Poderia tbm investir no trem de passageiro