VLI acquires 168 wagons and three locomotives to serve agribusiness

VLI has completed purchase orders for 168 Hopper HTT wagons and three locomotives for operation on the North-South Railway. They will be used to transport Brazilian agribusiness, exported through the São Luís port system to various destinations around the world. The business generates a total of approximately R$200 million.

The wagons will be manufactured by Greenbrier Maxion, located in Hortolândia (SP), and should be delivered later this year. The locomotives, model ES43BBi, were purchased from Wabtec, a manufacturer located in Contagem, in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte (MG). Delivery forecast, in this case, is by December 2024.

"The acquisition of this new batch of rolling materials meets the demand of Brazilian agribusiness and the generation of capacity for the transport of other inputs that we move on the North section of the North-South Railway, such as cellulose, fuels and fertilizers", says Fábio Marchiori, director finance, supply chain and VLI services.

The Hopper HTT wagons, developed and produced by Greenbrier Maxion, have three main differences: reduced length without loss of volume, reduced tare weight (weight) and increased useful life. With all these optimizations, there is an increase in load capacity per train.

Another highlight is the quick unloading system and the internal lining with special paint, which does not retain the load inside the wagon. Furthermore, the new units have the Motion Control bogie system, which is high performance and reduces component wear, resulting in lower fuel consumption and greater safety.

In April this year, the company announced the acquisition of 78 wagons for operation on the same stretch, due to the official inauguration of a fertilizer return flow in partnership with Companhia Operadora Portuária do Itaqui (COPI). This operation is the result of investments of around R$400 million and connects the COPI terminal in Maranhão to VLI's Palmeirante Integrator Terminal, in Tocantins.

VLI holds the concession for the northern section of the North-South Railway, which makes up the company's so-called North corridor. Last year, cargo movement in this section increased by 15%, compared to 2021, rising from 12,7 to 15 million tons.