Itajaí cargo volumes rise 40% as port prepares R$311m access-channel concession

Under JBS Terminais’ operation, the Port of Itajaí has recorded a sharp increase in cargo throughput. The port complex is now preparing for a new investment cycle with the concession of its waterway access channel, a project expected to receive R$311 million over 25 years.

According to data released by the Port of Itajaí Superintendency, the terminal handled 1.67 million tonnes in the first four months of the year, up nearly 40% from the same period in 2025. In April alone, throughput reached 430,300 tonnes, a 57% increase from the same month last year.

In total, the Port of Itajaí handled 76,902 TEUs in long-haul operations in the first four months of 2026. The chart below shows the monthly volumes recorded at the port in both the export and import trades, according to Datamar data:

Exports & Imports | Port of Itajaí | Sep 2024 – Apr 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Terminal set for new investment cycle

To expand the port’s operating capacity and allow it to receive larger vessels, the Ministry of Ports and Airports and the National Waterway Transportation Agency, Antaq, will hold an auction for the concession of the Port of Itajaí’s waterway access channel.

The project covers the concession, expansion, maintenance and operation of the channel infrastructure over the next 25 years, with estimated investments of R$311 million.

According to National Ports Secretary Alex Ávila, the auction is part of Brazil’s new model for managing waterway infrastructure.

“This format allows for more efficient channel management, improves navigation safety and helps increase the competitiveness of the Port of Itajaí,” he said.

According to the port superintendency, the contract includes periodic dredging, continuous maintenance, nautical signaling and integrated waterway traffic management. The goal is to provide greater operational predictability, improve navigation safety and increase capacity for larger vessels.

By the end of the contract, the channel is expected to be able to support throughput of up to 3.43 million TEUs per year, reinforcing the terminal’s strategic role in Brazil’s logistics network.

JBS Terminais handles cargo operations

JBS Terminais began handling cargo at the Tecon terminal at the Port of Itajaí on Oct. 11, 2024. In 2025, its first full year of activity, it handled 384,400 containers, surpassing the volume recorded in the previous operator’s final year.

Since taking over operations, the company has invested more than R$220 million in the complex. The amount allowed the purchase of two mobile cranes, each with capacity of 125 tonnes and reach of up to 20 rows of containers, making loading and unloading operations faster and more efficient, according to the company.

Brothers Wesley Batista and Joesley Batista are among the controlling shareholders of JBS, one of the world’s largest food companies.

Source: NSC

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