Brazil’s São Francisco Port Cargo Throughput Rises to 8.8 Mln Tonnes in H1 2025

Cargo handling at the Port of São Francisco in the first half of the year continued the growth trend observed since 2023. Between January and June, 8.8 million tonnes passed through the terminal in northern Santa Catarina.

Exports accounted for 54% (4.7 million tonnes), driven by grain shipments, which totaled 4.4 million tonnes — 3.4 million tonnes of soybeans and 1 million tonnes of corn.

Imports reached 4.1 million tonnes (46%), with highlights including 2.3 million tonnes of steel products from China and 1.5 million tonnes of fertilizers from the Middle East, mainly Egypt, Oman, and Iran.

During the same period last year, the port handled 8.7 million tonnes.

“The Port of São Francisco continues to play a vital role as one of the main logistics corridors in southern Brazil. The growth in recent years demands management that aligns with the interests of operators who use the port to develop their import and export businesses,” said the Secretary of Ports, Airports, and Railways (Spaf), Beto Martins.

According to the Port’s president, Cleverton Vieira, the growth is the result of technical management combined with the efficient performance of port operators and other terminal workers.

“In the past two years, we’ve achieved the highest cargo volumes in the Port’s history: 16.8 million tonnes in 2023 and 17 million tonnes in 2024. We thought we had reached our limit, but this increase in the first half of the year shows that all the infrastructure investments made in recent months are contributing to this ongoing growth,” said Vieira.

He highlighted that over the past two years, structural improvements have enhanced the port’s competitiveness. “In addition to opening a new access route, we invested R$200 million in port infrastructure, including a new technology park and equipment upgrades.”

In the coming months, an additional R$324 million will be invested in deepening the access channel to Babitonga Bay, R$18 million in restoring Berth 201, and R$12.5 million in the fourth lane of BR-280 leading to the port.

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