ARGENTINA’s transport secretariat has announced the release of an initial $US 1m from Mercosur’s Focem development fund to enable upgrade work on the General Urquiza freight line to begin. The funding release marks the launch of a wider $US 29.8m package dedicated to restoring one of the region’s principal north-south rail freight routes.
The General Urquiza line connects the provinces of Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Misiones and northern Buenos Aires, forming a key component of the Mercosur freight network. The corridor links Argentina directly to Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, enabling producers in the northeast to access regional markets and move export traffic to deep-sea ports at a lower cost.
Focem, the structural convergence fund of Mercosur, the economic bloc formed by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, finances infrastructure projects that strengthen regional integration and cross-border logistics. The total investment programme for the General Urquiza corridor amounts to approximately $US 44.5m.
The project covers 210km of track renewal across three sections and the reconstruction of two bridges. The upgrade programme is expected to substantially increase freight capacity, improve service reliability and provide a more competitive alternative to road.
“This upgrade has significant potential for improving Argentina’s integration with neighbouring countries and with international markets,” says Luciano Wexell Severo, Focem’s executive coordinator.
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