The railway expands the reach of the country’s largest deep-water port complex, strengthening Brazil’s national logistics environment.
Porto Central is set to expand its logistics reach with the progress of the EF-118 Railway concession process, following the recent approval of the Concession Plan, which enables a new railway corridor in Southeast Brazil. Currently under construction in Presidente Kennedy, in southern Espírito Santo, the private multipurpose port complex is strategically located in a region directly impacted by the expansion of land-based alternatives for transporting and supplying high-volume cargo.
At present, land access to Porto Central is primarily via road transport, mainly through the BR-101, ES-060, and RJ-224 highways. With EF-118 integrating the Southeast Railway Ring — including a 246 km connection between Santa Leopoldina (ES) and São João da Barra (RJ) — the consolidation of this new transport mode expands connectivity between the main production hubs in the Southeast and Midwest regions and coastal port areas. These conditions ensure greater efficiency in the flow of national production and the supply of the domestic market.
The arrival of the railway at Porto Central will also strengthen the country’s capacity to reduce long-standing logistics infrastructure bottlenecks. The integration between EF-118 and Porto Central creates ideal conditions for handling cargo such as grains, minerals, containers, and steel products, while also helping relieve pressure on already congested ports. This new corridor will increase Brazil’s competitiveness by facilitating cargo inflow and outflow, expanding operational alternatives for shippers and logistics operators.
Within this axis, Porto Central is expected to be one of the main ports capable of absorbing flows generated by EF-118. Designed to handle industrial, energy, agricultural, mineral, containerized, and foreign trade cargo at large scale, the complex covers 2,000 hectares and includes infrastructure for 54 multipurpose berths in deep waters of up to 25 meters, allowing operations of the world’s largest vessels. This capacity enables the movement of large cargo volumes over long distances, with direct maritime access to international routes and fewer intermediate stages in the supply chain, increasing the logistics competitiveness of Brazilian exports and imports.
According to Porto Central’s Commercial Manager, Jessica Chan, in port projects under implementation, the evolution of national logistics infrastructure is closely monitored by logistics operators and infrastructure users when assessing long-term investments.
““From the perspective of national logistics, the progress of railway projects in Southeast Brazil increases Espírito Santo’s participation in regional logistics corridors. The evolution of EF-118 is being monitored by sector stakeholders, as it may support national planning and port hinterland development. In other words, Porto Central has the potential to become the heart of a new global export and import corridor,” says Chan.
According to public information from Brazil’s National Land Transport Agency (ANTT), the EF-118 concession bidding notice is expected in the first quarter of 2026, with an auction planned also in the first half of the year. This timeline runs in parallel with the construction of Porto Central’s Phase 1, which began in December 2024 and includes the implementation of the Liquid Bulk Terminal.
This first phase of the port was designed to enable crude oil export operations through ship-to-ship transfer activities, allowing safe and efficient cargo transfer to larger vessels and reinforcing the complex’s position as a strategic logistics solution for national production flow. Porto Central’s master plan was structured with a long-term vision to consolidate an integrated hub for oil, natural gas and new energies supply chains, agribusiness, mining, general cargo, and industrial operations, in addition to hosting one of the largest container terminals in Latin America, capable of connecting Brazil even more competitively to major global trade routes.
Data from the National Transport Confederation (CNT) indicates that rail transport accounts for approximately 21% of Brazil’s freight transport matrix. The National Logistics Plan identifies the expansion of the railway network combined with port terminals as one of the key strategies to reduce logistics costs and diversify export corridors — a context in which Porto Central is positioned.
Porto Central is one of the strategic projects under the Brazilian Federal Government’s Growth Acceleration Program (PAC). The port is expected to drive regional development in Espírito Santo, enhance the country’s logistics infrastructure, and attract new investments in the port and industrial sectors.