Port of Santos posts new September record as cargo and container volumes rise

The Port of Santos recorded its best September cargo movement on record. Data from the Santos Port Authority (APS) show 16.5 million tonnes handled in the month and 138.7 million tonnes between January and September. Container throughput performed even better, rising 6.6% in the month and surpassing 515,700 TEU, while the year-to-date total grew 7.8% compared with 2024, reaching 4.37 million TEU.

Below are two charts on long-haul container movements at the Port of Santos: exports and imports. The charts were prepared using DataLiner data and consider only long-haul operations, excluding transshipment, cabotage, and other internal movements:

Container Exports at the Port of Santos | Jan 2022 to Aug 2025 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

Container Imports at the Port of Santos | Jan 2022 to Aug 2025 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

“This new record at the Port of Santos only confirms the need to keep our focus on the future, which is why APS is working on expanding the port’s boundaries, deepening the navigation channel, tendering Tecon 10, improving the ring roads and building the Santos-Guarujá tunnel, among other initiatives,” said APS president Anderson Pomini.

As a multipurpose port, Santos continues to set new records despite a decline in solid bulk agricultural cargo. In September, the main commodities handled were sugar (2.85 million tonnes), corn (2.61 million tonnes) and the soybean complex – grain and meal – at 2.05 million tonnes.

Only soybeans increased compared with the same month last year (up 81.6%). Sugar and corn posted declines of 4.9% and 21%, respectively. Overall cargo movement increased 3.7% versus September 2024.

In the year-to-date comparison, there was a 0.9% increase versus the first nine months of last year. The soybean complex led with a 9.9% gain from 2024, totaling 38.82 million tonnes.

Sugar came next (17.09 million tonnes, down 17.8%), followed by corn (7.6 million tonnes, down 14.5%) and fertilizer (5.62 million tonnes, down 4.1%).

Source: Porto de Santos

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