The Brazilian Ministry of Infrastructure announced an agreement with the World Bank to grant the Fiol-Fico freight rail concession to the private sector. This line is located between the city of Verde Lucas do Rio de Janeiro and Ilhéus, and will connect the heart of the soybean-producing area with the northeastern port.

The World Bank’s technicians will conduct a feasibility study to connect the Fico or Midwest Railway, which will also connect the grain-producing area to the Fio or East-West Railway, with a total length of 1,900 kilometers. The ministry’s press release stated that the announcement was made by the Minister of Infrastructure Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas (Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas) after a meeting with representatives of the World Bank in Brazil.

In Bahia, the first section of the Fiol railway from Caetité to Ilhéus will be tendered on April 8. State control company Valec is building the section between Caetité and Barreiras, which is expected to be completed in 2022.

According to the Ministry, the third section of the railway between Barreiras and Mara Rosa still needs to be funded. Mining giant Vale is building part of the Fico railway from Mara Rosa to Aguaboa as part of an agreement to expand its franchise to operate the EFVM railway, which connects the state of Minas Gerais The iron ore producing area and the port of Vitoria. The project to be arranged by the World Bank also includes a railway extension from Agua Boa to Lucas Rio Verde. Editor/Huang Lijun