The Norte-Sul Railway officially started to transport sugar on Thursday (June 9) with the inauguration of a road-rail terminal in Iturama (MG), which also marks the entry of Rumo. Rumo and Usina Coruripe will inaugurate the terminal after an investment of R$ 95 million, which will allow the flow of 2 million tonnes of sugar for export by year. Between now and October, which is the peak period of the sugarcane harvest in central-south Brazil, 15 trains of 120 wagons are expected to depart from Iturama for the port of Santos. One of the distinguishing features of the new terminal, which has been in testing since last month, is its loading speed, which can reach 1,500 tons per hour, according to Rumo’s commercial vice president, Pedro Palma, and can load three trains of 120 wagons every day. Mario Lorencatto, the president of Coruripe, stated that 1.15 million tonnes of sugar will pass through the terminal, which will also serve other clients. Initially, the terminal’s operations, which will generate 50 direct jobs, will be solely for sugar. Still, there is nothing preventing ethanol operations from being carried out, for example, if there is future demand, according to Palma.
Sources: Folha de S. Paulo/Datamar News