Port of Rio de Janeiro leads state in container and solid bulk handling

Rio de Janeiro is world-famous for its beautiful beaches and for being home to Christ the Redeemer, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. For these and other reasons, tourism is one of the main economic sectors of the “Marvelous City.” But the state’s economy goes far beyond that — it also relies heavily on the movement of goods through its ports, an activity that generates jobs and income for both the city and the country. To witness this economic strength up close, the #MporPeloBrasil initiative visited on Monday (13) the Rio de Janeiro Port Authority (CDRJ), which manages the state’s key public ports: Rio de Janeiro, Itaguaí, Niterói, Forno, and Angra dos Reis.

The Port of Rio de Janeiro is the state capital’s main terminal, handling containers, bulk cargo, vehicles, and passengers, and also supporting oil exploration operations. In the first half of this year, the port handled 8.4 million tonnes, a 24.9% increase compared with the same period in 2024. The main growth segments were containerized cargo, solid bulk, liquid bulk, and general cargo.

According to Eduardo Miguez, the port’s Superintendent of Planning and Business Development, the Rio de Janeiro Port is fundamentally a multi-cargo terminal, handling a wide variety of goods — from general cargo and tubes to solid bulk used to supply industries throughout the Southeast, as well as operating Latin America’s most modern wheat terminal.

“We have a vehicle terminal and two container terminals, all equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and some of the deepest berths in the country. This allows us to receive the largest ships calling at the east coast of South America. The port’s diversity — stretching across nearly seven miles of linear quay and supporting offshore industry operations — is what makes it so important,” Miguez said, noting that the port also generates over a thousand jobs.

Key segments
Among the highlights of the port’s operations is pig iron, produced by smelting iron ore in blast furnaces and then cast into bars. Pig iron is a key raw material for the production of steel and various types of cast iron, used in complex parts such as engine blocks and machinery components.

The port complex also stands out for having some of the deepest berths in the Southeast, allowing it to accommodate larger vessels with greater cargo capacity. This is essential for logistical efficiency, as large ships can transport more goods per voyage, helping reduce operational costs.

Speaking of large ships, the cruise season began last week. A total of 84 dockings are scheduled, involving 28 vessels — 21 with international itineraries and 7 with domestic routes. The initial expectation is that 240,000 passengers will pass through the Rio de Janeiro Cruise Terminal by the end of the season in April 2026.

Source: Informativo dos Portos 

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