Tapajós River cements role as key sustainable logistics corridor amid record cargo throughput

The Tapajós River reaffirmed its strategic role in Brazil’s economy in the first two months of 2026, posting record cargo throughput and consolidating river transport in the Amazon region as a key logistics alternative for shipping national production and ensuring supply to western Pará.

Even amid moderate drought conditions, the resilience of river operations allowed the sector to maintain its growth pace, underscoring the viability of a transport system that is already a reality in the Amazon region.

Industry data show that the Tapajós River Waterway transported 16.8 million tonnes in 2025, up 14.3% from 2024.

One of the year’s highlights was the high-efficiency operation of a 36-barge convoy with capacity for 110,000 tonnes, demonstrating the scale potential and environmental sustainability of waterway transport compared with road transport. Using waterways to move cargo is associated with lower accident rates, lower freight costs and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

Efficiency and diversity

Cargo transport on the Tapajós River is not new, but its sophistication has reached new levels. Today, throughput is led by dry bulk cargo, mainly soybeans and corn, which travel from producing regions in Mato Grosso along the BR-163 highway to port facilities in Miritituba, in the municipality of Itaituba, Pará.

From there, barges move along the river to port terminals in Santarém and Barcarena, also in Pará, from where the production is exported to international markets.

In 2025, soybean and corn transport accounted for 88.4% of throughput on the Tapajós River Waterway. Oil and oil products rose 40%, while fertilizer transport increased 46.8% from the previous year.

In the first two months of 2026, the Tapajós River Waterway alone handled 2.38 million tonnes. Soybeans and corn accounted for 86% of total throughput, followed by fertilizers and liquid bulk cargo, with shares of 6.3% and 7.4%, respectively.

With 41 developments, including projects, construction works and operations in cities such as Itaituba, Santarém and Rurópolis, the Tapajós corridor has become a hub of continuous development.

Benefits of the concession

The services offered under the concession will make waterway infrastructure more reliable, with dredging, rock removal, buoyage and nautical signaling. These measures are expected to improve safety, reliability and regularity in navigation through the adoption of technology and river intelligence systems.

Under a long-term contract, the management and operation of the waterway will be carried out transparently and effectively, with private investment directed toward improving navigation and, above all, with permanent and active dialogue with society.

Waterway transport emits 80% less CO2 than road transport, consolidating itself as an eco-efficient solution. Investment in environmental monitoring technologies and reduced dependence on trucks help preserve the Amazon and maintain the Brazilian government’s commitment to sustainability.

The concessions also ensure more efficient logistics and lower freight costs, which could help reduce prices for basic goods arriving by river.

The concession not only modernizes the transport of large cargo volumes but also integrates cities in Pará into a cycle of economic prosperity, turning the Tapajós River into a driver of social and sustainable development for the local population.

Source: MPOR

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