Pecém port projects 200 weekly fruit containers to Europe in 2025/26 season

The 2025/2026 fruit harvest at the Port of Pecém is gaining momentum this September and is expected to move around 200 refrigerated containers per week to Europe. Each 40-foot reefer container can hold up to 27 tonnes of fruit varieties, including melons, watermelons, mangoes, and grapes produced in the states of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, and Bahia.

The fruit export season will run until mid-February 2026, with weekly sailings to Europe every Friday. Of the total shipped via Pecém, an estimated 80% will be unloaded at the ports of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and London (England), while the remainder will be distributed to other key European ports such as Antwerp (Belgium), Le Havre (France), Sines (Portugal), Hamburg, and Bremerhaven (Germany).

Last weekend, the vessel MSC Leila, measuring 335 meters in length, docked at the Port of Pecém to transport the Northeast’s fruit production to the European market. Powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), it has a capacity of 11,500 TEUs and a draft of 10.40 meters. The cargo carried by the NWC service will supply supermarkets in Northern Europe.

Raul Viana, Business Manager at the Pecém Complex, highlighted the importance of this service for exporting high-quality fruit from Ceará. “With operations like this, our clients can be sure their production will always find an important market on the other side, with efficiency, innovation, and speed,” he said, noting that this is the ninth consecutive year of partnership with MSC for handling melon harvests from the Mossoró region (RN) and mango and grape production from the São Francisco Valley (PE and BA), through the Port of Pecém.

Producers also have positive expectations, particularly for the melon and watermelon harvest, which remains highly valued in the European market, according to Gabriel Vieira, Commercial Director at Brazil Melon. “With Spain’s local supply now lower in volume, this presents a good opportunity for Brazil to expand its exports. In addition to higher demand, European buyers are increasingly valuing quality, traceability, and sustainable practices, which benefits producers prepared to meet these increasingly demanding standards,” he explained. Brazil Melon is one of the companies that, through the Port of Pecém, has been exporting its products to the shelves of major retailers such as LIDL, Tesco, Jumbo, and Edeka.

Source: Badalo

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