Sepetiba Tecon expands electric vehicle handling with Rio logistics first

Sepetiba Tecon has been handling Leapmotor electric vehicles through a new logistics model since late 2025, supporting the continued expansion of Brazil’s EV market.

Developed by COSCO SHIPPING Specialized, the operation uses flat rack and high-cube containers to transport the vehicles. This allows the cars to be handled by the same cranes used in regular container operations, eliminating the need to unload each vehicle individually from the vessel.

The system is designed to improve speed, safety and operational efficiency while making better use of the port’s existing infrastructure.

The vehicles are shipped from China and unloaded at Sepetiba Tecon, located at the Port of Itaguaí in Rio de Janeiro state. After discharge, the cars are removed from the containers and stored in the terminal yard before being transported by car-carrier trucks to Porto Real, also in Rio de Janeiro state.

There, the vehicles undergo pre-delivery inspection, or PDI, before being distributed to dealerships through the logistics network already operated by importer Stellantis.

Sepetiba Tecon said it was the first terminal in Rio de Janeiro state to adopt the logistics model. The inaugural operation involved more than 700 vehicles carried in approximately 340 containers, marking a new approach to automotive imports in the state.

The operation has since gained scale. More than 2,000 Leapmotor vehicles have now passed through the terminal, according to Sepetiba Tecon.

Guilherme Vidal, the terminal’s operations director, said the project strengthens Sepetiba Tecon’s position as a logistics hub for the automotive industry.

“This project demonstrates how the combination of suitable infrastructure, a strategic location and efficient operations can make the entire logistics chain faster and more cost-effective,” Vidal said.

As Brazil’s electric vehicle market continues to grow, logistics models of this kind could become increasingly important, giving importers and automakers additional options for bringing vehicles into the country.

Source: Sepetiba Tecon

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