Port of Recife closes 2025 with revenue of R$55 million

Historically part of the state of Pernambuco’s economic route, the Port of Recife plans to expand its capacity in 2026 through dredging, which is expected to enable the terminal to receive larger vessels, thereby increasing its competitiveness. In an interview, the port’s president, Paulo Nery, revealed that the terminal’s revenue this year reached R$55 million. He also detailed the main investments made throughout 2025 and previewed projects already planned for next year.

The port closed 2024 with revenue of R$48 million, and we will close this year with R$55 million, an increase of 15%. The expectation was to achieve growth of around 20% to 25%, but two external factors affected us. The first was the U.S. tariff hikes. We have two products that are extremely important in our customer portfolio: fertilizers imported from Russia and sugar, which holds a prominent position at the port. In addition to the tariffs, which caused a sharp reduction in profit margins for our sugar mill clients due to lower exports to the U.S., a climate factor also affected sugar production.

We received authorization to launch a tender for dredging the internal and external channels of the Port of Recife. This is an investment of around R$100 million, with bid submissions due by December 15. It is an integrated tender, in which the contracted company will not only carry out the works but will also be responsible for preparing the basic and executive projects. We will also hire a supervision company to help monitor the works and projects. It is expected that dredging will begin in the first quarter of 2026. With this, we will be able to maintain and expand our customer base by receiving vessels with an operational draft of 12 meters, which will adequately serve current and future clients.

We currently have an executive project being prepared by a contracted company to implement a new drainage and paving system at the port. This is very important because the current system has operational issues and has led to material loss, as some areas have given way. This investment is around R$20 million. We already have part of these funds and are seeking additional resources. Next year, it is expected to launch a tender to carry out this work.

Liquiport is investing around R$70 million in the Port of Recife to build a terminal for the storage and distribution of barley malt. This will significantly increase the port’s capacity to serve major brewing industries in Pernambuco and neighboring regions. Operations are expected to begin in July next year.

Another major investment underway is the expansion of Fertine’s warehouses. Fertine is part of the Fertipar Group, the largest fertilizer group in Brazil. The company won the auction and is expanding its port capacity. It already serves Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Alagoas, but there is an expectation that it will become a major fertilizer distribution hub for the North and Northeast regions.

This year, we handled 1.7 million tonnes of cargo. The expectation had been to exceed 2 million tonnes, but certain variables affected performance. However, this target is expected to be surpassed next year. Of the nearly 2 million tonnes handled, sugar was the main highlight, accounting for about 500,000 tonnes. Fertine followed with nearly 300,000 tonnes.

See below a historical overview of long-haul cargo throughput via the Port of Recife starting in January 2022. The chart excludes cabotage and other domestic movements and was prepared using DataLiner data:

Long-haul cargo throughput via the Port of Recife | Jan 2022 to Oct 2025 |

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

Sindaçúcar installed new equipment at the Port of Recife, known as a shiploader. It loads bulk sugar directly into the holds of vessels. This investment aims to reduce losses and increase the efficiency of sugar operations at the port, making them even more competitive. This is also very important for us.

We have already received three ships this season, bringing more than 5,000 tourists to Recife. During the season, which began in October and runs until April 2026, an additional 16 ships are expected, bringing the total to around 28,000 tourists arriving in Pernambuco via the maritime passenger terminal. The terminal is currently the subject of studies for a concession with a private partner. I strongly believe in public-private partnerships as a way to secure the resources needed to meet all demands.

Both Liquiport and Fertine were already our clients, but they still had some uncertainties regarding investments. We were able to address these based on principles of negotiation, transparency, and legal certainty. As a result, contracts were signed, and the projects are already under expansion. All indications suggest that 2026 will be a turning point year for the Port of Recife. This year, we have also focused on contract management, cost reduction, and attracting new clients.

Source: Diário de Pernambuco