First Half of 2025 at the Port of Santos Marked by Record Container Throughput

The first half of 2025 at the Port of Santos was marked by the maintenance of its record for container handling. The volume increased by 7.8% compared to 2024, reaching 2.8 million TEUs, up from 2.6 million in the first half of 2024.

“The result highlights the Port of Santos’ capacity to meet its clients’ demands. In the medium and long term, with ongoing initiatives such as the expansion of the Poligonal area, deepening of the navigation channel to 16 meters, and the auction of the Tecon 10 terminal, Santos will continue to be the country’s main logistics hub,” said Anderson Pomini, president of the Santos Port Authority.

First Half Sets New Container Throughput Record at Port of Santos

Another highlight of the semester was the growth in inbound cargo (imports and cabotage), which rose 1.2% compared to the previous year—22.84 million tonnes this year versus 22.57 million in 2024. Outbound operations, however, fell by 1.7%, reflecting a decline in solid bulk vegetable cargoes, totaling 65.49 million tonnes in 2025 compared to 66.60 million the previous year. Overall, the result was stable, with a drop of less than 1% (88.30 million tonnes compared to 89.18 million in 2024), making it the second-best half-year result in the port’s history.

Here is a historical overview of container throughput via the Port of Santos starting from January 2022. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data:

Container Throughput via Port of Santos | Jan 2022 – May 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

Monthly Performance

June 2025 also set a record for container handling, despite a decline in total volume. Container throughput reached 511,200 TEUs, compared to 439,600 TEUs in June 2024—a significant increase of 16.3%.

As in the half-yearly total, June also saw an increase in inbound cargo and a decline in outbound flows. Inbound volumes were 4.19 million tonnes, up from 4.07 million in June 2024 (a rise of 3%). Outbound volumes dropped to 11.84 million tonnes, compared to 12.26 million tonnes in June 2024 (a 3.45% decrease). Altogether, 16.04 million tonnes were handled in June, the second-best result for the month, despite a 1.8% drop year-on-year.

In June, the Port of Santos increased its share of Brazil’s trade flow to 29.9%, the highest level in the past four years. The Port of Paranaguá ranked second with 7.7%, followed by the Port of Itaguaí with 5%, alongside São Paulo’s Guarulhos Airport with a similar share.

Other Highlights

Soy (grains and meal) remained the top cargo by volume at the Port of Santos, reaching 29.61 million tonnes in the first half (up 2.6% compared to 2024). Sugar ranked second at 8.83 million tonnes (down 26.8%), followed by pulp—an increasingly prominent cargo at the port—with 4.71 million tonnes (up 21.4%).

Sharing is caring!