Brazil’s TCP Marks 27th Anniversary with Record Container Throughput and Reefer Expansion

On April 13, 2025, TCP — the Paranaguá Container Terminal company — celebrates its 27th anniversary with a track record of achievements that reinforce its strategic importance to Brazilian foreign trade. Just before the anniversary, in March of this year, the terminal recorded its best monthly performance of 2025, breaking four operational records, notably a 38% year-over-year increase in refrigerated container traffic (13,890 TEUs) and a total of 401,131 TEUs handled in the first quarter, up 7%. With investments in technology, services, sustainability, and people, TCP is paving the way to strengthen its role as a global port hub.

These operational milestones are a result of TCP’s ongoing investments. In 2024, the company completed the expansion of its reefer container yard, increasing the number of plugs by 45% — from 3,624 to 5,268, the largest capacity in South America. This strategic move reinforced the terminal’s position as Brazil’s leading meat export corridor, with 266,246 TEUs of reefer cargo handled last year alone. In the first three months of 2025, chicken meat exports set a record, reaching 610,000 tonnes, equivalent to 44% of the national market share in the segment.

“We already held the title of the world’s largest export corridor for frozen chicken. With the reefer yard expansion and maintaining the highest service quality, flexibility, and customer satisfaction — especially in the poultry industry — we’ve also increased our capacity to serve other markets like beef, which is growing significantly at the terminal. In just the first three months of this year, 217,000 tonnes of beef were shipped — a 53% increase compared to the same period in 2024, well above the national average,” said Giovanni Guidolim, TCP’s Commercial, Logistics, and Customer Service Manager.

TCP’s logistics infrastructure also drove export growth in wood (1.4 million tonnes, up 47%) and pulp and paper (974,000 tonnes, up 54%) in 2024. On the import side, the chemical/petrochemical and automotive sectors led the way, with 648,000 and 562,000 tonnes, respectively.

Another milestone was the increase in operational draft depth—from 12.10 to 12.80 meters at zero tide—which allowed faster operations and the ability to receive larger vessels, such as container ships up to 368 meters long and 52 meters wide. In 2024, TCP registered 992 vessel calls and a record-breaking 1,558,453 TEUs handled, a 24% increase over 2023.

According to Carolina Brown, Shipping Lines Manager at TCP, the wide range of maritime services offered to clients is a key differentiator, with 24 regular weekly calls. “We’re always looking for new routes and partnerships with carriers to provide more flexibility and reliability for exporters and importers who choose TCP. The increased draft is essential for maintaining our leadership and optimizing ship operations at our port,” Brown said.

Social Impact and Job Creation

With over 1,700 employees and plans to exceed 1,800 in 2025, TCP is the largest private employer on Paraná’s coast. “With continuous investments in infrastructure, equipment, and personnel, the Paranaguá Container Terminal continues to expand year after year — and this growth is also reflected in increased employment opportunities,” said Washington Renan Bohnn, HR and Quality Manager at TCP.

In addition to driving economic development, TCP also invests in social responsibility. Since 2007, the terminal has supported over 130 projects through tax incentive laws. For 2025, four new funding rounds are planned for health, culture, sports, and social inclusion projects focused on Paranaguá and Curitiba communities.

Beyond funding, TCP also runs more than 30 ongoing social and environmental initiatives to benefit the Paranaguá community and its surrounding environment. One standout is the “Troca Solidária” (Solidarity Exchange) program, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025 and allows residents to exchange recyclable materials for basic food and hygiene products. Since 2015, the project has collected over 500 tons of recyclables and benefited more than 700 families.

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