Brazilian ports see 4.14% growth in cargo throughput in early 2024

Brazilian ports saw a 4.14% increase in cargo throughput in the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2023. According to the monthly report drafted by the National Waterborne Transport Agency (Antaq), public and private ports saw 525.3 million tonnes in cargo operations from January to May. Public ports transported 188 million tonnes, marking an 8.08% increase, while private terminals saw a 2.06% rise, handling 337 million tonnes.

Solid bulk cargo operations grew by 7%, representing 59% of the country’s total throughput. Containerized cargo saw an even larger increase of 22.85% in the first five months of this year. Among agribusiness products, sugar and wheat showed the most significant growth, with sugar increasing by 59.52% to 12.1 million tonnes and wheat by 35.09% to 4.8 million tonnes.

The chart below provides a historical overview of Brazilian container exports in the first five months of 2024 and a comparison with the same months since 2021. The data comes from DataLiner, Datamar’s market intelligence platform:

Brazilian Exports via Containers | Jan-May 2021 – Jan-May 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Minister of Ports and Airports Silvio Costa Filho attributed these results to financial incentives and the policy of developing the Brazilian port sector, leading to economic growth and job creation. “We have been collaborating with the private sector and making investments to modernize and expand our ports. Port activity is crucial for the growth of the Brazilian economy and essential for ensuring the daily food supply for our people,” he emphasized.

Public Ports Performance

The Port of Santos in São Paulo, the largest port complex in Latin America, saw a 9.48% increase in cargo throughput this year, at some 56 million tonnes. The Port of Paranaguá in Paraná handled 24.2 million tonnes of cargo, an 8.29% increase compared to the first five months of last year. The third busiest public port, Itaguaí in Rio de Janeiro, experienced a 22% increase, moving 24 million tonnes.

Monthly Throughput

May saw a 3.48% decrease in vessel traffic compared to the same period last year, primarily due to the halt in operations in Rio Grande do Sul following severe floods that devastated the state. The month-wide drop in Rio Grande do Sul cargo activities reached 24%.

Among the most relevant goods for the month, cereals grew by 35.24%, sugar by 28.52%, and cast iron, iron, and steel by 11.89%.

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