Brazil’s Northeast ports post 17% cargo growth in November, led by containers

Public ports in Brazil’s Northeast recorded a sharp 17.13% rise in cargo throughput in November 2025 from a year earlier, according to data released by the national waterway regulator Antaq, pointing to a pickup in regional economic activity and outpacing the broadly flat trend seen so far this year.

The acceleration in November was driven mainly by two strategic segments that serve as bellwethers for the real economy. Liquid bulk cargo rose 28.1% in the month, signaling strong demand for fuels and refined products to supply industry and transport, while containerized cargo at public terminals jumped 33.1%.

While total cargo handled in the region was virtually unchanged in the January–November period, up 0.06% at 301.4 million tonnes, the composition of that cargo shifted in a more favorable direction. The standout trend in 2025 has been the consolidation of the Northeast as a hub for higher value-added cargo.

From January to November, container throughput in the region increased 10.5% to 19.5 million tonnes. Unlike iron ore, a bulk commodity that underpins volumes at terminals such as Ponta da Madeira in Maranhão, containers carry manufactured goods, auto parts, electronics and fresh fruit from the São Francisco Valley, exported through ports such as Pecém in Ceará, Salvador in Bahia and Suape in Pernambuco. The double-digit growth underscores a region that is not only extracting raw materials but also producing, consuming and adding value.

See below the historical evolution of container exports through the ports of Pecém, Salvador and Suape, according to data from the DataLiner platform developed by Datamar. Together, the three ports recorded shipments of 121,757 TEUs from January to November 2025, the company’s data show.

Container Exports | Pecém; Salvador; Suape | Jan 2022–2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

The figures also reinforce the Northeast’s role as Brazil’s closest export gateway to European and North American markets. Exports through the region’s public ports rose 4.84% in the year to November, supported by strong performance at the Port of Itaqui in Maranhão, a key outlet for grain shipments from the Matopiba farming frontier. The Ponta da Madeira terminal alone accounted for more than half of all cargo handled in the region, totaling 156.9 million tonnes over the period.

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