Brazil-Peru transcontinental railway

The Transcontinental railway Brazil–Peru (Fetab) is a proposed rail project linking Brazil and Peru, designed to increase commerce between the two nations. Also known as the Twin Ocean Railroad Connection project (Chinese: 两洋铁路), it aims to directly connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans via the South American Aorta Railroad.

The initiative is part of the IIRSA, envisaging a railway between Pucallpa in northern Peru and Cruzeiro do Sul in western Brazil.

History

On 19 March 2008, the Peruvian Congress declared the project of national interest. Following President Ollanta Humala’s visit to China for APEC, Peru, Brazil, and China signed a memorandum to begin feasibility studies for a bi-ocean railway linking the two oceans.[1][2][3]

In 2011, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced plans with China to build an inter-ocean “Dry Canal” railway, to be financed by China Development Bank and built by China Railway Group. The project stalled without progress.[4][5]

During the 6th BRICS summit in Brazil (July 2014), Xi Jinping, Brazil, and Peru announced plans to cooperate on a bi-ocean railway, establishing a working committee for design, construction, and operations.[6][7] The route envisioned stretched from Rio de Janeiro to the port of Callao, Peru, but progress stalled due to Brazil’s political turmoil and wider economic stagnation.[8]

Between May 6–14, 2015, China’s National Development and Reform Commission delegation visited Brazil and Peru to advance the project.[9][10] Later that month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet also discussed related bi-ocean infrastructure.[11]

After Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s return to power in 2023, the plan regained momentum. In April 2025, a Chinese delegation met with Brazilian and Peruvian officials to hold technical consultations on regional transport links.[12]

Planning

Brazilian plans envisage a route starting in southeastern Brazil, crossing the "Iron Quadrangle" mining region, agricultural Goiás, and copper-rich Andes, before joining the East-West Integration Railway and reaching the Port of Chancay in Peru. Minister Simone Tebet confirmed the revised 6,500 km alignment avoids key Amazon reserves, with 2,600 km already built. The project is valued at over US$80 billion and expected to create 800,000 direct jobs in Brazil.[13][14][15]

Peru has shown enthusiasm. In May 2025, the government announced readiness to pursue high-level talks with China and Brazil, aiming to align strategic interests, secure financing, and promote regional integration. President Dina Boluarte highlighted benefits such as lower logistics costs, decentralization from Lima, and growth in Andean copper mining.[16][17][18]

In July 2025, Brazil and China signed a memorandum of understanding for a five-year feasibility study of a 4,500 km route from Ilhéus, Brazil, to Chancay, Peru, via Rio Branco and the Andes. Estimated at over US$70 billion, the line could cut Asia–South America shipping times by 10–12 days compared to the Panama Canal.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ollanta Humala se reunió con el presidente de China, Zhang Dejiang". RPP. 12 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Realizarán estudios básicos para construcción de ferrocarril bioceánico Perú-Brasil". Andina. 19 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Ollanta Humala: 'Tren bioceánico Perú-Brasil no pasará por Bolivia'". Perú21. 19 November 2014.
  4. ^ "连接两大洋打通拉美，中国连推"两洋铁路"尽早开工 _财经上下游_澎湃新闻-The Paper". thepaper.cn (in Chinese). 2014-11-16. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  5. ^ "抗衡巴拿馬運河 中國推兩洋鐵路". Yahoo News (in Chinese). 2014-07-17. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  6. ^ "中国－巴西－秘鲁关于开展两洋铁路合作的声明（全文）-新华网". 新华网 (in Chinese). 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  7. ^ "中国－巴西－秘鲁关于开展两洋铁路合作的声明_要闻_新闻_中国政府网". 中国政府网 (in Chinese). 2014-07-18. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  8. ^ ""两洋铁路"迎新机_新华报刊-环球". 新华报刊-环球 (in Chinese). 2025-07-07. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  9. ^ "发改委赴巴西、秘鲁推动两洋铁路项目". 中国日报网 (in Chinese). 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  10. ^ "发改委赴巴西和秘鲁推动两洋铁路项目". 新浪财经 (in Chinese). 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  11. ^ "从钱凯港到两洋铁路：一文读懂中国如何在美国拉美后院扩张，美国有何反应？". BBC News 中文 (in Chinese). 2024-12-05. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  12. ^ Patrick, Igor (2025-04-17). "China delegation visits Brazil to discuss railway link to Peru megaport". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  13. ^ Mukpo, Ashoka; DiGirolamo, Mike (2025-05-21). "Brazil & China move ahead on 3,000-km railway crossing the Amazon". Mongabay. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  14. ^ "Brazil, China discuss railway from Peruvian port to Brazil territory". Reuters. 2025-05-09. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  15. ^ "Brazil, China sign agreement to plan railroad to Peru". Agência Brasil. 2025-07-08. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  16. ^ Patrick, Igor (2025-07-09). "Brazil and China to study South American transcontinental railway project". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  17. ^ "BRI projects bolster China-Peru ties". Chinadaily.com.cn. 2025-03-05. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  18. ^ "Peru seeks high-level meeting with China, Brazil to advance bi-oceanic railroad". Reuters. 2025-05-26. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  19. ^ "Brazil and China to study South American transcontinental railway project". South China Morning Post. 2025-07-11. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
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