Brazil container exports fall 9.8% in January, DataLiner shows

Brazil exported 233,434 TEUs in January, down 9.8% from the same month in 2025, according to newly released container shipping data compiled by Datamar’s Business Intelligence team through the DataLiner platform.

China remained Brazil’s top trading partner for containerized exports. Shipments to the Asian country rose 3.8% compared with January 2025. Exports to the United States — the second-largest destination for Brazilian container shipments — fell sharply by 33.6% year on year. Shipments to Mexico declined a more modest 2.5%.

The steep drop in exports to the United States comes amid growing uncertainty over U.S. trade policy. In February 2026, the administration of President Donald Trump announced a new global import tariff of 10%, with plans to raise it to 15%. The measure followed a Feb. 20 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned a previous tariff regime based on emergency powers.

Although January data largely reflect the trade environment prior to the court ruling and the new tariffs, the shift in U.S. trade policy could increase volatility in commercial relations throughout 2026, particularly for exporting countries such as Brazil.

Among commodities shipped in containers, meat products led exports in January, rising 6.1% from the same month a year earlier. Wood ranked second but declined 12.7%, while cotton shipments fell 22.8% year on year.

Below is a historical series of Brazilian container exports since January 2023. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data.

Brazilian Container Exports | Jan 2023 – Jan 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Imports show smaller decline

On the import side, the drop was more moderate. Brazil imported 300,033 TEUs in January, down 1.7% from the same month in 2025.

China remained the largest origin of Brazil’s containerized imports, with shipments rising 1.6% compared with January of the previous year. The United States ranked second but posted a 27.3% decline, while imports from India rose 1.6%.

Among the main imported products in January, plastics led the increase with a 6.4% rise compared with January 2025. Reactors, boilers and machinery declined 10%, while vehicles and auto parts grew 2.6%.

Below is a historical series of Brazilian container imports since January 2023. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data.

Brazilian Container Imports | Jan 2023 – Jan 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

River Plate region

In the River Plate region, export performance was positive. Shipments to Argentina rose 31.4% year on year in January, while imports fell 8.5%.

In Uruguay, containerized exports increased 22% compared with January 2025, while imports grew 19.8%.

Global trade uncertainty

Despite positive signals in some markets, the global trade outlook remains uncertain. Changes in trade policy, geopolitical tensions and fluctuations in logistics costs continue to affect international supply chains.

In addition to tariff disputes, global maritime trade has faced new geopolitical risks in 2026. The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran in the Persian Gulf has driven up maritime insurance premiums and disrupted operations along strategic routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s key energy corridors. Higher insurance and freight costs, along with potential route diversions, could weigh on global trade during the year.

According to analyses by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), geopolitical shocks and disruptions along major maritime routes can significantly increase transport costs and affect global cargo flows. Meanwhile, reports from the World Trade Organization (WTO) indicate that international trade growth is expected to remain moderate in 2026 amid an unstable economic environment.

In this context, the performance of Brazil’s containerized trade will depend not only on external demand but also on the evolution of geopolitical tensions, the trade policies of major economies and logistics conditions across global shipping routes.

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