Itajaí Seeks New Shipping Route for Santa Catarina Bananas in Response to European Tariff Barriers

The Port of Itajaí has begun talks to establish a new shipping route with the Port of Cagliari, in Italy, aiming to expand the flow of fruit exports from Brazil’s Santa Catarina state to the European Union. The move is a strategic response by producers and port authorities to surcharges imposed on Brazilian products over the past year, which raised export costs and increased the need to diversify destinations.

Bananas are a cornerstone of Santa Catarina’s agricultural economy, with production concentrated in the North Coast, the Itajaí Valley, and the state’s northern and southern regions. Historically reliant on a limited number of markets, the supply chain is now looking to the Port of Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, as a strategic hub to access the European market with more competitive logistics costs.

According to the Port of Itajaí’s administration, opening new routes is essential to mitigate the impact of recent shifts in global trade. The strategy focuses on reducing reliance on congested or heavily taxed logistics corridors, ensuring that regional production maintains its international presence following the tariff fluctuations seen in 2025.

Below are the main containerized cargoes handled at the Port of Itajaí in the first 11 months of 2025. The data were collected by Datamar’s Business Intelligence team.

Top Export Cargoes | Port of Itajaí | 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Bilateral cooperation and cargo flows

The initiative is part of a broader Brazil–Italy cooperation agenda aimed at balancing trade flows between Mercosur and the European Union. The partnership model under development envisions a two-way route: while Itajaí would serve as the outbound hub for bananas and other tropical fruits, Cagliari would act as an entry point for high value-added Mediterranean products such as wines, cheeses and olive oils.

Italian federal lawmaker Fabio Porta, who is part of the negotiating delegation, said the Port of Itajaí has the potential to function as a strategic link between the two continents. Concrete measures and memorandums of intent are expected to be announced in the coming months, formalizing technical cooperation between the ports of Itajaí and Sardinia.

Outlook for internationalization

The initiative reinforces Itajaí’s role as a container port specialized in refrigerated (reefer) cargo. For Santa Catarina’s market, the consolidation of this route represents not only a boost to fruit farming but also the strengthening of the state’s position as a resilient player in foreign trade, capable of reshaping its logistics in response to external pressures.

Source: Porto de Itajaí

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