Corn dominates October shipments through Port of Santos

The corn harvest boosted shipments at the Port of Santos by 29.6% in October, totaling 3.2 million tonnes. As a result, the year-to-date total rose to 14.8 million tonnes, an increase of 34.5%. The grain trade helped maintain the port’s record at 142.0 million tonnes, a growth of 2.7% compared to the same period from January to October last year.

According to Anderson Pomini, the Santos Port Authority (APS) president, the result could have been better if not for the weather: “October was a month with a lot of rain, which does not favor grain shipments,” explained the administrator. “Still, it was the best result in the history of solid vegetable bulk operations, proving the recovery and productivity capacity of the Port of Santos,” Pomini adds.

In October, vegetable bulk operations (corn, sugar, soybeans, among others) reached 7.1 million tonnes. This type of cargo has felt the impact of the rainy season. During periods of good weather, a collaborative effort is made to expedite the loading and unloading of loaded ships at the terminals, as well as the organization of ship entry and exit convoys.

The chart below shows the sugar (HS 1701) volume, measured in tonnes, exported from the Port of Santos between Jan 2019 and Sep 2023.

Sugar exports from Port of Santos | Jan 2019 – Sep 2023 | WTMT

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

The total cargo in October amounted to 14.3 million tonnes, showing a slight decrease of 0.8% compared to the same period last year. Nevertheless, it remains the second-best mark for October. Shipments totaled 10.7 million tonnes, representing a growth of 2.7%, while imports reached 3.5 million tonnes, a decrease of 10%.

The chart below shows the corn volume, measured in tonnes, exported from the Port of Santos between Jan 2019 and Sep 2023.

Corn Exports from Port of Santos | Jan 2020 – Sep 2023 | WTMT

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Containerized cargo totaled 439,743 TEU in October and 3.9 million TEU year-to-date, reductions of 2.6% and 6.9%, respectively.

Solid bulk goods totaled 77.5 million tonnes year-to-date, an increase of 10.5% over the same period in 2022, setting a record for the period. Highlights in this segment include soybeans, with 37.5%; sugar, with 19.7%; corn, with 19.1%; pelleted soy, with 9.9%; and fertilizer, with 8.2%.

Liquid bulks reached 15.9 million tonnes year-to-date, a 0.5% decrease compared to the same period last year. Notable components in bulk liquids include diesel and gas oil, with 22.5%; fuel oil, with 19.9%; other goods, with 15.6%; citrus juices, with 14.5%; caustic soda, with 6.9%; gasoline, with 6.8%; and alcohol, with 6.3%.

Ship dockings totaled 4,496 over the year, representing a 3.8% increase.

Trade Flow

The Port of Santos accounted for 28.4% of Brazil’s trade flow. Concerning national trade transactions with other countries through the Port of Santos, 30.4% involved China. The state of São Paulo holds the highest share in foreign trade transactions through the Santos port complex (54.6%).

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