Brazil’s container trade shifts profile as exporters broaden market reach

Containerized cargo flows through Brazilian ports have changed in recent months, while export and import routes have widened amid the effects of U.S. tariff hikes.

The figures come from the Infrastructure Observatory of the Brazilian Infrastructure Institute (IBI) and were obtained first by CNN. The survey shows that container throughput rose from 1.2 million TEUs in March to 1.3 million TEUs in April.

To compile the latest figures, the institute surveyed Brazilian port terminals directly. March and April data have not yet been released by the National Waterway Transportation Agency, Antaq, which suffered a cyberattack in May and has since focused on recovering and maintaining its systems.

Data through February 2026 came from Antaq. Based on the combined figures, IBI estimates that container throughput rose 7.7% in the 12 months through April.

Newly released data from Datamar’s Business Intelligence team on Brazilian container throughput show that Brazilian container exports rose 2.1% from January to April 2026 compared with the same period last year. In April alone, exports grew 7.8% from April 2025. See the chart below:

Brazilian Container Exports

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Meanwhile, Brazilian container imports rose 5.7% in the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. In April alone, inbound volumes increased 16.6%. See more information below:

Brazilian Container Imports

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Bruno Pinheiro, manager of the IBI Observatory, said the result stands out because it comes as the global container market slows. While global demand grew about 4% in 2025 and is expected to expand between 2% and 3% in 2026, Brazil continues to grow at nearly twice that pace.

Pinheiro, who spent 15 years as a civil servant at Antaq, said the shift in Brazil’s container profile is likely to continue, supported by factors that are more structural than temporary.

The survey shows that, on the import side, capital goods such as machinery and equipment posted the strongest growth in 2025, rising 23.7%. On the export side, products traditionally shipped in containers, such as green coffee and cotton, reached record levels. At the same time, meat, sugar and pulp expanded their presence in international markets.

The performance also comes as Brazil’s trade flows adjust to the impact of U.S. tariffs. In 2025, Brazilian exports to the U.S. market fell 6.6%, including a 35.4% drop in October, the month when tariffs were announced on several Brazilian products.

Even so, port throughput continued to grow. According to Pinheiro, the increase was driven by stronger trade ties with China and higher sales to countries such as Argentina and India.

Pinheiro also highlighted what he called the “quality” of the growth. He said the increase in throughput is linked to imports of machinery and equipment for industry and to higher exports of higher value-added commodities, factors that support a positive outlook for the coming years.

Another factor behind the result is the continued expansion of cabotage. Cargo transport between Brazilian ports has been growing for nearly a decade.

With container throughput expected to keep rising in Brazil, Pinheiro said existing bottlenecks in port access already point to the need for additional capacity. He warned that current infrastructure may not be able to absorb the expected gains.

In that context, the sector is still waiting for Brazil’s largest container terminal concession, Tecon Santos 10. Three other auctions for container terminals are also expected to take place in 2026. Together, the four tenders would be the first dedicated to this type of cargo in a decade.

Source: CNN

Sharing is caring!