By Brazil Stock Guide – Brazil’s Transnordestina railway has begun experimental freight operations between the states of Piauí and Ceará as it works to build a client base and refine the commercial model that will underpin the project through its planned completion in 2028. The trial runs are designed to test contracts, costs and operational flows while bringing the railway closer to major producers in the region.
The pilot services are being carried out by Transnordestina Logística S/A (TLSA), which said demand for the service increased after the first test shipments of corn and sorghum. The company is using the initial operations to simulate real market conditions and assess how the railway can compete with long-distance trucking once the network is fully operational.
At the core of the strategy is a flexible contracting model that allows multiple customers to book individual railcars within the same train. The approach is intended to broaden the customer base by accommodating different cargo volumes and reducing entry barriers for smaller shippers.
Tijuca Alimentos was the first company to take part in the trial phase. Grain shipments were trucked to the terminal in Bela Vista do Piauí, moved by rail to Iguatu in Ceará, and then transferred back to trucks for delivery to the company’s industrial facilities. Even with the railway still incomplete, the operator expects overall logistics costs to fall compared with road-only transport once the system reaches full capacity.
TLSA is also using the tests to design tailored logistics solutions for different types of cargo. These include integration with private storage and transshipment terminals, as well as commercial arrangements in which customers may contract only rail transport or combine it with terminal services. In some cases, terminal investors may also act as buyers of the transported goods.
The railway has already secured operating authorizations from Brazil’s land transport regulator and environmental licenses for the sections currently under testing. TLSA plans to develop between six and eight logistics terminals along the route in states including Piauí, Pernambuco and Ceará, with a key connection to the Port of Pecém to serve both domestic flows and export shipments.
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