Suape Port Records Second-Best Performance in 46 Years

Suape Port approached the end of 2024 with its second-best cargo throughput in 46 years, handling 24.8 million tonnes of liquid and solid bulk, containerized cargo, vehicles, and other goods. According to the Annual Statistical Report from the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), the Pernambuco-based port saw a 3.6% increase in cargo volumes compared to the previous year.

Among the port’s various operations, container handling saw the highest growth, surging 23.4% year-on-year. This equated to 646,804 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), setting a new annual throughput record for Tecon Suape, which operates at the port’s Berths 2 and 3.

The chart below shows the most exported cargo in containers on record for the Port of Suape in 2024. This powerful information was derived from DataLiner.

Suape Ports | Top Containerized Cargo | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

The rise in cargo operations also boosted vessel calls by 7.9%, with 1,628 ships docking at Suape throughout the year. A milestone for the port was the arrival of New Panamax-class vessels—366-meter-long giants, the largest ships capable of transiting the Panama Canal. The first of these, the MSC Orion, berthed at Suape on July 27, while a weekly service was officially established on November 7, linking Northeast Brazil to Singapore via the Santana long-haul trade route.

“Once again, Suape closed the year with growth in cargo throughput, reinforcing its importance for both Pernambuco and Brazil. Our positive results stem from Governor Raquel Lyra’s policy of increasing public investment in port infrastructure to enhance competitiveness and attract new business. We have completed the dredging of the outer channel, are restoring the breakwater, and will soon begin dredging the inner channel. These upgrades will help Suape expand further in 2025, drawing in more private investment and generating jobs for the people of Pernambuco,” said Pernambuco’s Secretary of Economic Development, Guilherme Cavalcanti.

The breakbulk cargo segment recorded a 19.3% increase compared to the previous year, with 656,915 tonnes of goods handled, including industrial equipment, oversized parts, steel products, and bagged commodities such as fertilizers and grains. The solid bulk cargo segment also continued its upward trend, rising 7.9% to 1.22 million tonnes, driven by wheat, clinker, and petroleum coke shipments.

Expansion

“The 2024 results confirm we are on the right track. Under Governor Raquel Lyra’s leadership, major infrastructure projects are underway to ensure Suape’s expansion—critical for enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening our national standing,” said Suape Port CEO Marcio Guiot.

According to Guiot, the key projects set to boost cargo throughput include the dredging of the outer channel, which has already been completed, and the inner channel, for which the service order was signed on December 27. The breakwater reinforcement is also advancing and is now in its fourth and final construction phase.

“The expectations for 2025 are extremely positive. The completion of Train 1 at the Abreu e Lima Refinery, slated for the first half of the year, will drive exponential growth in crude oil and refined product handling—our core business,” Guiot added.

Ranking

While the Antaq Annual Report has yet to consolidate final rankings for public ports and private-use terminals (TUPs) across Brazil, Suape held its sixth position among public ports through November 2024. The port also maintained its national leadership in liquid bulk handling, with 14.88 million tonnes moved by November, as well as in cabotage shipping, serving domestic trade routes.

In Northeast Brazil, Suape remains the region’s top port for containerized cargo and vehicle handling. In 2024, the port handled 80,051 vehicles, including imports and exports from various manufacturers. A highlight was the arrival of thousands of electric and hybrid vehicles from China’s BYD, including a record 5,459-unit discharge operation in May, which lasted nearly three days.

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