A Sustainable Location Model of Transshipment Terminals Applied to the Expansion Strategies of the Soybean Intermodal Transport Network in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil

The transport system is one of the main bottlenecks world’s largest producer and exporter soybeans, Brazil. Long-distance truck transportation grains increases costs, food waste, CO2 emissions. To handle these problems, Brazilian government seeks to expand through national logistics plan (PNLT), promoting efficient operations. Collaborating on environmental aspect, this paper proposes sustainable logistic infrastructure for soybean transportation. Investigating grain-producing state in world, Mato Grosso (Brazil), we show optimal location capacitated transshipment terminals untangling relationship between sustainability. Besides handling cargo costs emission, optimization model considers cities, road distances, existents, capacities, implementing locations near waterways railways. In five scenarios with different combinations railways, contrast cost installing total distance traveled under weights components. results indicate that it possible simultaneously obtain minimum reduce emissions by 20% all analyzed scenarios. We conclude obtaining strategic solutions at lower can be combined proper responsibility. As contributions, allow advances area logistics, encouraging development new research Brazil involving dimensions addition, study supports government’s decisions regarding ongoing discussions expanding intermodal soy network country.