Agribusiness Fuels Record Cargo Growth at Port of Santos in July

Cargo throughput at the Port of Santos continues to grow at a rapid pace, setting new records each month. In July, the port saw its highest monthly volume ever, some 16.3 million tonnes—a 6.9% increase compared to the same period in 2023, when 15.3 million tonnes were handled. This performance brought the year’s total to 105.5 million tonnes, reflecting a 9.7% growth and yet another record.

Anderson Pomini, president of the Santos Port Authority (APS), celebrated the results, highlighting the port’s commitment to efficiency and innovation: “These record-breaking achievements reaffirm our dedication to maintaining the Port of Santos as a benchmark for cargo throughput, always striving for innovation in our operations.”

Agribusiness products led the growth during this period. Sugar and soybeans were the standout commodities, with impressive throughput figures. In July, sugar throughput reached 2.7 million tonnes, a 23.1% increase over the previous year, totaling 14.8 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2024, a 43.1% rise. Soybean throughput reached 2.4 million tonnes in the month (+18.4%), amounting to 26.2 million tonnes for the year so far, though with a slight decline of 2.0%.

Other products also made significant contributions to the port’s performance. Coffee bean exports reached 197,900 tonnes in July, a remarkable 49.0% increase over the previous year, bringing the year’s total to 1.4 million tonnes (+60.0%). Meat exports surged by 59.5% in July, with 246,500 tonnes handled, reaching 1.4 million tonnes for the year (+32.0%). Pulp throughput grew by 35.0% in July, with 661,000 tonnes moved, totaling 4.5 million tonnes for the year (+7.9%). Fertilizer imports also saw significant gains, with 725,900 tonnes handled in July (+37.8%), though the yearly total stood at 4.0 million tonnes (-4.0%). Citrus juice throughput reached 246,800 tonnes in July (+7.7%), with a total of 1.4 million tonnes in the first seven months of the year (-5.1%).

In addition to solid bulk cargo, containerized cargo also saw notable performance. In July, 492,600 TEUs were handled, representing a 17.2% increase compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date, the volume reached 3.0 million TEUs, a 16.6% rise, marking the best historical performance both for July and the cumulative period.

The chart below uses DataLiner data to compare long-haul container imports and exports at the Port of Santos between January 2021 and June 2024.

Santos Container Movement | Jan 2021 – Jun 2024 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Overall, exports in July reached 11.9 million tonnes, a 3.4% increase, bringing the yearly total to 78.5 million tonnes, 9.6% higher than the same period in 2023. Imports amounted to 4.4 million tonnes, 17.9% higher than in July of the previous year, with a year-to-date total of 26.9 million tonnes, reflecting a 9.9% growth.

Solid Bulk Cargo – Solid bulk cargo totaled 54.7 million tonnes in the first seven months of the year, a 3.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023, setting a new cumulative record. The segment’s share of cargo was 51.1% for soybeans, 22.5% for sugar, 10.7% for pelletized soybeans, 7.2% for fertilizers, and 2.6% for corn.

Liquid Bulk Cargo – Liquid bulk cargo totaled 11.3 million tonnes in the period, a 4.7% increase, also setting a new record for the period. In this segment, gasoline stood out with 166,700 tonnes (+293.9%) in the month and 489,700 tonnes (+79.7%) year-to-date. Diesel oil and gas oil recorded 211,000 tonnes (+102.9%) in July and 790,000 tonnes (+23.7%) year-to-date. The segment’s share of liquid bulk cargo was 4.9% for diesel oil and gas oil, 3.7% for fuel oil, 2.4% for citrus juice, 1.4% for gasoline, 1.1% for caustic soda, and 1.1% for alcohol.

In terms of vessel calls, July registered 477 ships (+3.0%), bringing the year-to-date total to 3,254 vessels (+4.1%), further consolidating the Port of Santos as one of Brazil’s leading logistics hubs.

Foreign Trade

The Port of Santos also maintained a strong presence in foreign trade, accounting for 28.6% of Brazil’s total trade flow. China remained the main trading partner, responsible for 29.2% of transactions. São Paulo continued to be the state with the largest share of foreign trade through Santos, accounting for 53.1% of transactions.

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