THE BIOCEANIC RAILWAY AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE STATE OF ACRE, WESTERN AMAZON

Abstract

The logistical configuration of South America has historically been oriented toward the Atlantic axis, which has consolidated low levels of intraregional integration and accentuated territorial inequalities. In this context, the Bioceanic Railway emerges as a strategic initiative by connecting Brazil and Peru to the Pacific Ocean, diversifying export routes and repositioning the country within global value chains. This article aims to analyze the potential impacts of the railway on the state of Acre, a territory characterized by structural vulnerabilities and limited participation in logistical flows. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach, combining a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with a documentary analysis of national institutional sources and multilateral organizations. The results indicate that, although the railway may reduce logistical costs and expand regional connectivity, its positive effects are not automatic and depend on territorial policies articulated with local development in the municipalities it will cross. As a contribution, the article proposes a regional development guideline structured around four interdependent axes — integrated infrastructure and logistics, productive reconfiguration, sustainable territorial planning, and institutional capacity building — designed to transform the railway into a driver of productive inclusion, territorial equity, and multidimensional sustainable development. The proposed model, modular and adaptable, may guide not only Acre but also other peripheral territories affected by major physical integration projects in the Global South.