Paraná looks to expand freight rail network

Southern Brazil’s Paraná state aims to advance quickly with a plan to extend its railroad network.

The state government is working to accelerate studies on extending the 250km Ferroeste line, which links the cities of Guarapuava and Cascave, by 1,000km.

"This is a priority project to improve transportation logistics in Paraná and consolidate the state as the world's largest food producer," said governor Carlos Roberto Massa Júnior in a statement.

According to the governor, the project will be part of a bioceanic corridor linking the state’s Paranaguá port with Antofagasta port in northern Chile, which will boost exports of Paraná commodities to Asia.

The Ferroeste line was completed in 1994 and is designed primarily to transport grains and other agricultural products. Construction of the line, formerly known as Ferrovia da Soja and Ferrovia da Produção, began in 1991.

Plans to extend the line were first mulled in 1999.