The agreement will boost the railway sector in the state

NDF signed a memorandum with the University of Birmingham, UK

Credit: Allison J. Silva/Diario do Comercio

With the aim of encouraging research and technological development aimed at improving the railway sector, the Nucleus of Technology Development of Minas Gerais (NDF), made up of 13 educational institutions in the state, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Birmingham Centre. Department of Railway Research and Education (BCRRE)

The signing took place yesterday, at the premises of the Research Support Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais (Fapemig). The event brought together representatives of the partner institutions of the project: Fapemig; the State Secretariats for Infrastructure and Mobility (Senefra) and Economic Development (Sidi); Federal University of Ficosa (UFV), Federal University of São João del Rey (UFSJ) and Federal Institute of Science and Technology of Southeast Minas Gerais (IF Southeast MG). The United Kingdom was represented by the British Consulate in Belo Horizonte and Director of BCRRE.

The agreement signed in the state of Minas Gerais will enable the exchange of technological and academic knowledge, as well as the exchange of students and researchers between universities. The aim is to add knowledge to the railway sector. England is a pioneer in the field of railways and we have a lot of knowledge to share,” says NDF coordinator Julio César Costa Campos, who is also a professor at the Federal University of Vicosa.

Campos also points out that an important gain of the partnership signed with the University of Birmingham is the possibility of training researchers to develop studies on the metro and rail sector. “Today, in the state, we only have one course in railroad engineering. This agreement paves the way for us to think about new undergraduate and graduate courses and expand that knowledge here,” he says.

The agreement, in addition to allowing the exchange of experiences, may attract more investment to the sector. The director of rail transport at the Secretariat of Infrastructure and Mobility of Minas Gerais, Vânia Silveira Cardoso, explains that the state has four of the country’s largest railway concessionaires operating here and in the concession process it was agreed that they needed to invest in technology and development in the sector. Therefore, we want to attract these investments to our state. In addition to having the largest rail network in the country, we have the only two locomotive manufacturers in Latin America based here (LMD Locomotivas, in Sete Lagoas and Wabtec Corporation – formerly GE Transportation, in Contagem). He explains that we have a favorable scenario for strengthening the region, education and investments in this sector.

railway scenario

With a railway network of about 5,000 km, which crosses about 180 municipalities in Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais is the first state in the country in terms of railways and is responsible for approximately 16.3% of the entire national railway network.

Rail transport has an important role in transporting high-tonn quantities over long distances. It is primarily responsible for supplying national ports, contributing to exports, and linking production to the outflow of sectors such as mining, agriculture, and the fuel chain.

Data from the National Transport Confederation shows that in 2021, national rail production reached 506.80 million useful tons. Of the total transported that year, 372.81 million (73.5%) were iron ore, demonstrating the importance of Minas Gerais in the scenario.

Diario do Comercio replies

What is NDF??

The railway development nucleus was created in 2021 and its mission is to contribute to the development and modernization of rail transport in Minas Gerais, with training, staff training, research and development for the generation and transfer of new technologies and is composed of 13 federal institutions, namely: Federal University of Ficosa; Federal University of São João del Rey; Federal Institute of Southeast Minas Gerais; Federal Center for Technological Education of Minas Gerais; the National Service for Industrial Education; Montes Claros State University. Minas Gerais State University; Federal University of Juiz de Fora; Federal University of Minas Gerais; Federal University of Ouro Preto; Federal University of Triangolo Mineiro; Federal University of Uberlândia – UFU and Federal University of Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys.