ANTT maintains Malha Oeste contract during transition to new concession

Malha Oeste connects Mairinque, in São Paulo, to Corumbá, in Mato Grosso do Sul, on the border with Bolivia (ANTT/Disclosure)

The Agência Nacional de Transportes Terrestres (ANTT) has formalized the Fifth Amendment to the Malha Oeste concession agreement. According to ANTT, the measure ensures that railway operations remain under contractual responsibility, "preserving the infrastructure, safety conditions, and the public interest during the transition period until a definitive solution for the concession is established."

Stretching 1,625 kilometers, Malha Oeste connects Mairinque (SP) to Corumbá (MS), on the border with Bolivia, forming an important logistics corridor for freight transportation in Brazil's Central-West region. The railway is connected to Malha Paulista, which provides access to Port of Santos, the country's largest port complex, making it strategically important for transporting agricultural products, minerals, and other export-bound cargo.

According to ANTT, the amendment prevents any disruption in the management of the railway and maintains responsibility for the administration and preservation of railway assets throughout the transitional period. The Agency emphasizes that the measure provides legal certainty, regulatory stability, and institutional continuity, all of which are considered essential for the proper management of infrastructure that is strategic to Brazil.

The federal agency notes that discussions regarding the future of Malha Oeste have been underway for several years, involving technical, legal, operational, and economic analyses aimed at developing a consistent long-term solution for the railway.

In this context, the temporary extension of the concession agreement ensures that responsibilities for the railway network are maintained while the evaluations and procedures required to define the permanent concession model are completed.

At the same time, the Federal Government is moving forward with the development of a new concession model for Malha Oeste. The process remains under review by the competent authorities and will comply with all applicable legal and regulatory procedures.