SAO PAULO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Brazilian railway operator Rumo SA said on Thursday posted a second-quarter profit over five times bigger than last year, as it carried record volumes amid strong demand for the transport of commodities.

Rumo's net profit landed at 167 million reais ($34 million) for the three months ended in June compared to 30 million reais a year earlier, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) jumped 20.9% to 1.45 billion reais.

Rumo said it was profiting from a "quite heated" grains market, as demand for transport of agricultural commodities such as soybeans, sugar and fertilizers leapt 27%, 26% and 19%, respectively.

Argentina's Rosario grains exchange last week said that Brazil has for the first time in 26 years surpassed Argentina as the world's top exporter of soy meal, after the country's agricultural heartlands were hit by a historic drought.

Safety and traffic conditions in the coastal region of Santos, an area known for frequent looting of freight trains, also improved from the first quarter, Rumo added without providing further details. ($1 = 4.8612 reais) (Reporting by Alberto Alerigi Jr.; Writing by Peter Frontini; Editing by Sarah Morland)