Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
2 min of reading 
1 comment 
Concessionaire Plans to Invest R$ 3.2 Billion in 200 km Stretch, EF-118, While Foreign Investors Show Interest in the Project
MRS Logística, operator of the Southeast Network, announced its interest in financing the construction of a strategic stretch of the Ferrovia 118 (EF-118), which will connect Anchieta, in Espírito Santo, to Porto de Açu, in Rio de Janeiro. The planned investment is R$ 3.2 billion, part of a broader plan to modernize national rail transport and strengthen cargo flow between states. The railway is considered essential for integrating ports and industrial centers, reducing dependence on road transport and improving export logistics.
The project is part of the negotiations for the early renewal of the Southeast Network concession, as explained by Leonardo Cezar Ribeiro, national secretary of Rail Transport. According to him, MRS will provide the necessary resources for the project, but construction will be carried out by the winning concessionaire of the auction, expected to be held in late 2025. “This is an innovative approach to enable large railway projects without compromising the public budget,” Ribeiro emphasized.
Interest of Foreign Investors and Vale’s Participation
In addition to MRS Logística, Arab and Chinese groups have also shown interest in EF-118. According to industry sources, international investors view the railway as a strategic opportunity for strengthening port logistics in Brazil. The central stretch of the project, which is about 170 kilometers between Anchieta and São João da Barra, will pass through Porto Central, in Presidente Kennedy, one of the country’s future logistical hubs.
-
The rails imported from China completed in February 2026 the structure of the Transnordestina Railway, a 1,209 km project connecting Piauí to the Port of Pecém, with a focus on grains and fuels, while CRRC opens a factory in Araraquara.
-
A R$11.9 billion train that promises to revolutionize mobility in São Paulo and make trips of about 1 hour gains new progress with the inclusion of another city in the project.
-
The United Arab Emirates will inaugurate the country’s first passenger train in 2026 — 1,200 km of tracks through the desert, linking 7 emirates in less than 2 hours.
-
Austria inaugurates Europe’s first high-speed railway outside China — trains travel at 250 km/h through 33 km tunnels in the Alps that took 27 years to drill
Vale has already confirmed the construction of an 80-kilometer railway stretch connecting Santa Leopoldina to Anchieta, which will facilitate the integration of EF-118 to the Estrada de Ferro Vitória a Minas (EFVM). The mining company estimates an investment of R$ 6 billion in this segment of the railway, reinforcing its commitment to railway expansion in Brazil.
Technical Details and Impact of EF-118
The Estrada de Ferro 118 (EF-118), also known as Ferrovia Vitória-Rio, has a planned route of 577.8 kilometers, crossing 25 municipalities between Nova Iguaçu (RJ) and Cariacica (ES). The project envisions mixed gauge (1.00 m and 1.60 m) in some stretches and broad gauge (1.60 m) for most of the route, ensuring compatibility with other existing railway networks in Brazil.
Among the structures planned for the railway are six tunnels, 43 railway viaducts, 130 bridges, 128 road viaducts, 117 underpasses, and 60 walkways. These investments are part of the effort to modernize logistics infrastructure, increase Brazil’s competitiveness in foreign trade, and reduce operational costs for the productive sector.
Nosso país acordou do profundo coma logístico. A partir de agora, é investir em infraestrutura portuária e modais de transporte, para encarar o futuro promissor que se avizinha. Um país que vive refém de taxas escorçantes de juros, praticados por um sistema financeiro voraz, não pode sobreviver. Investir, construir, industrializar e operar o gigante potencial dessa nação, é a solução.