Cargo movement up 6.2% as Paraná ports surpass 55 million tonnes in 2025

Cargo movement data for September show that corn was the commodity with the largest growth — both in volume and percentage — at Paraná’s ports in 2025. Compared with the same month in 2024, volumes rose 356%. From January to September, shipments increased 284% year on year, reaching 2,935,569 tonnes, up from 756,044 tonnes in 2024. That represents US$582 million in FOB value.

“Exports through the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina grew 23.5% in September, and corn is certainly among the main drivers of this increase,” said Portos do Paraná’s Operations Director, Gabriel Vieira.

The main destinations for the exported corn were countries in the Middle East. A combination of factors — including high Brazilian productivity and international tariff disputes driven by the United States — increased the competitiveness of Brazil’s corn. Demand for the product, especially from Paraná, has risen due to its advantageous logistics for export flow.

Soybean meal and frozen chicken sustain exports
Another commodity that grew during the period was soybean meal, which reached 5,085,054 tonnes — up 13% from last year’s 4,510,525 tonnes. The five main destinations were the Netherlands, France, Spain, South Korea, and Germany. Representing more than one-quarter of national exports, the product totaled US$1.6 billion FOB.

Frozen chicken also saw strong export activity. The Port of Paranaguá handled 44% of Brazil’s total poultry exports, amounting to 1.5 million tonnes and US$2.7 billion FOB. The top three destinations were South Africa, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates.

To meet high demand, the Paranaguá Container Terminal has the largest yard for refrigerated container storage in South America, with 5,268 plugs, and is Brazil’s main hub for maritime lines, hosting 23 shipping services.

Shipments of vegetable oils also rose 45% in September and are up 49% for the year to date (January–September). Pulp exports increased 72% during the month and are up 28% so far in 2025.

Fertilizers remain the top import commodity
On the import side, fertilizers accounted for the largest volume, with 1,038,153 tonnes in September. The Port of Paranaguá is Brazil’s main entry point for fertilizers, handling 25.5% of the country’s total, valued at US$3 billion FOB.

Wheat unloading also grew significantly last month, surging 132% to 269,308 tonnes compared with 28,850 tonnes in September 2024. Reduced planting area in the last harvest, and adverse weather conditions affected domestic production, requiring higher import volumes to supply the domestic market.

September also saw a 46% increase in imports of petroleum derivatives. It was the first month in 2025 that Portos do Paraná recorded a 3% increase in accumulated liquid bulk imports.

Record movement and more vessel calls
In total, Portos do Paraná has handled 55.3 million tonnes so far in 2025 and is on track to break its own record in December, surpassing 70 million tonnes. The volume handled so far represents a 6.2% increase compared with the first three quarters of 2024, when 52.1 million tonnes were registered. Overall, solid bulk leads total movement (61.5%), followed by general cargo (25.4%) and liquid bulk (13.1%).

The higher cargo volume is also reflected in the number of vessel calls at Paraná’s ports. Between January and September 2025, there were 2,124 calls — already exceeding the total for all of last year (2,068).

“The increased draft, from 13.1m to 13.3m, has also contributed to these results. More cargo per vessel without higher operational costs attracts shipowners to dock at Paraná’s ports,” said Portos do Paraná CEO Luiz Fernando Garcia.

Source: Portos do Paraná

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