Santa Fe presented its proposal to the national government for the Belgrano Cargas tender

BnamericasPublished: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Tenders Logistics / Supply Chains Light rail / Interurban train Concessions

By Government of Santa Fe

The Government of Santa Fe, through the Ministry of Productive Development, formally submitted to the National Secretariat of Transport a series of technical-strategic proposals related to the process of privatization, concession, and operational opening of the national freight railway system. The initiative was submitted by Minister Gustavo Puccini to the Secretary of Transport, Mariano Plencovich.

The presentation arises from Decree No. 67/2025 and Resolution No. 1049/2025, through which the national Executive Branch ordered the reconfiguration of the Belgrano, San Martín and Urquiza railway lines within a period of 12 months.

The Province based its proposal on the need to strengthen freight rail transport in Argentina. Currently, of the roughly 450 million tonnes that are moved annually in the country, only 18.8 million are transported by train. The rest depends on road transport, a situation that increases logistics costs and reduces competitiveness.

In this context, Santa Fe highlighted its strategic role in national foreign trade. Through its port complex on the Paraná River, 80% of the grains, oils, and by-products exported by Argentina are processed and dispatched, while 28% of the country’s total exports leave from its terminals.

Federal coordination table

With the aim of ensuring transparency, predictability, and proper institutional coordination during the bidding process, the Province proposed the creation of a working group made up of the National Secretariat of Transport, the Railway Infrastructure Administration (ADIF), the Public Companies Transformation Agency (ATEP), and the Government of Santa Fe.

The proposal aims to evaluate technical alternatives, coordinate investments, and move forward by consensus in reorganizing the national railway network.

The Railway Beltway, a priority project

One of the main proposals put forward by Santa Fe refers to the completion of the Railway Ring Road of the capital city, a strategic project that connects the north of Santo Tomé, via branch line F1, with Laguna Paiva, via branch line C, and which is approximately 70% complete.

The Province requested that the project be explicitly included in the bidding documents as a priority project, with defined timelines for its execution and a deadline for commencement. In addition, it proposed that bidders who commit to bringing the work forward receive a positive assessment during the evaluation process.

More connectivity for production and ports

The document also raises the need to promote the development of private railway sidings to improve connectivity for cooperatives, storage facilities, port terminals, and industrial plants. To this end, it proposes establishing clear mechanisms to facilitate the transfer or delivery of disused railway infrastructure, especially rails, by ADIF.

Likewise, the Province requested an analysis of the impact of the future concession on the port system of Santa Fe, which includes the ports of Rosario, Santa Fe, Villa Constitución, San Lorenzo, Puerto General San Martín, and Timbúes.

Another key point is the incorporation of new freight linked to strategic sectors such as mining, agribusiness, and regional economies, with the aim of increasing the volume transported by rail, reducing logistics costs, and decreasing truck traffic on the highways.

A strategy to consolidate Santa Fe as an international logistics hub

The proposal is part of the logistics development strategy driven by Governor Maximiliano Pullaro's administration, which includes the new concession of the Hidrovía, the strengthening of provincial public ports, road works to access port terminals, and the incorporation of new freight transport modalities, such as bi-trailers.

In this framework, the railway system appears as a key tool for improving export competitiveness and enhancing the integration of the province.

The goal is to consolidate Santa Fe, and especially Greater Rosario, as one of the main logistics hubs in South America, strengthening the connection with new value chains linked to lithium production in the NOA and the development of copper mining in the Cuyo region.

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News in: Infrastructure (Argentina)