Port of Santos breaks yet another record for container throughput

The Port of Santos set a new record for container throughput in 2024, surpassing the 4-million TEU mark. The port also reached an all-time high in tonnage, handling 44.5 million tonnes of containerized cargo between January and September this year.

Container throughput at the Port of Santos increased by 15.8% compared to 2023 when the total was 3.5 million TEUs for the same period. This marks an additional 1.2 million containers processed through Brazil’s largest port complex.

The chart below reveals the performance of container exports and imports at the Port of Santos between January 2022 and August 2024, measured in Twenty-Foot-Equivalent Units (TEUs). The information comes from DataLiner, a Datamar-developed product, and takes into consideration only long-haul shipments, excluding cabotage and transshipment operations.

Santos Container Exports & Imports | Jan 2022 – Aug 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

In tonnage, container cargo grew by 21.6% year-over-year. In 2023, 36.57 million tonnes were handled, whereas in 2024, 44.47 million tonnes were hauled through the port.

“The numbers speak for themselves, showing that we are on the right track by balancing expansion with high-quality services and respect for surrounding communities,” said Anderson Pomini, CEO of Santos Port Authority (APS). He also emphasized the port’s multipurpose nature and its role in job creation.

Although containerized goods generally have higher added value than bulk cargo, even bulk commodities benefit from containerization. For example, sugar—Santos’ second most-exported commodity—saw 12.5% of its 20.8 million tonnes shipped in containers, totaling 2.6 million tonnes.

September also saw a record, with a 21.7% increase compared to the same month in 2023, handling 483.6 thousand TEUs vis-a-vis 397.5 thousand last year.

The Port of Santos continues to lead as the largest port in South America, ranking 43rd globally in container throughput and 2nd in Latin America, trailing only Colón at the Panama Canal, where 86% of cargo movement is transshipment.

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