Ultracargo has begun operating the new railway bypass at its terminal in Rondonópolis (MT), reinforcing its strategy of interiorization and logistical integration between the Midwest and the Southeast. With investment of R$ 95 million, the project consolidates one of the country’s main multimodal corridors for the transport of biofuels and petroleum derivatives.
Approximately 4 kilometers long, the bypass connects the terminal to the region’s rail network and significantly expands product handling capacity. Rondonópolis now plays an even more strategic role in corn ethanol logistics, integrating with Ultracargo’s other structures and expanding transportation alternatives to different regions of the country.
The project allows for the operation of trains with up to 80 cars, with direct connection to the company’s unit in Paulínia (SP). In practice, it enables more efficient return freight logistics: the same train that takes petroleum products to Mato Grosso returns to the Southeast loaded with biofuels, reducing idle travel, logistics costs, and dependence on road transport over long distances.
The initiative comes at a strategic moment for the sugar-energy sector. Brazil is currently the world’s second-largest producer of corn ethanol and, according to IMEA, domestic production grew by around 30% in the 2024/25 harvest, with Mato Grosso leading this advance, above the national average.
“The start of operations at the Rondonópolis rail bypass reflects our long-term vision of how Brazil needs to structure its logistics flows, with greater integration between producing regions and consumer centers,” says Fulvius Tomelin, president of Ultracargo.
With the new configuration, the terminal now has capacity to handle up to 3 million cubic meters per year. The investment also included expansion of static capacity by 15,000 m³, with two new ethanol tanks, in addition to modernization of rail and road platforms, reducing the logistics cycle between Mato Grosso and São Paulo by up to two days.
By expanding the share of rail transport—each train carries about 8,000 m³—Ultracargo consolidates a more efficient operation, aligned with the best environmental practices. The initiative contributes to an estimated reduction of 51,000 tons of carbon per year, in addition to less wear and tear on road infrastructure, and greater reliability in supply.
The project gains even more relevance with the synergy of Paulínia (SP) rail bypass, completed in June 2025, which connects Opla terminal — a joint venture with BP — directly to the Rondonópolis unit, strengthening a strategic logistics corridor for the supply of fuels and biofuels in the country.
The impacts of the project go beyond the terminal, and strengthens the economy of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and São Paulo Metropolitan Region, according to Ultracargo’s CEO. “The integration between modes of transport creates a model of operational efficiency that can be replicated in other corridors in the country, contributing to a more competitive, sustainable, and integrated national infrastructure,” he concludes.