Southern Brazil ports post highest cargo volumes in five years

Ports in southern Brazil handled nearly 200 million metric tons of cargo in 2025, up 5.4% from a year earlier and marking the region’s strongest performance in the past five years, according to data released by the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq).

The figures include both public ports, which accounted for 129 million tons, and private-use terminals, which handled 69.9 million tons.

The busiest facilities were the Port of Paranaguá, with 66.4 million tons, followed by Rio Grande (31.6 million tons), São Francisco do Sul (17.5 million tons), Itapoá (16.1 million tons) and the Osório Waterway Terminal (10.7 million tons).

Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho said the results reflect improved efficiency and sustained investment in port infrastructure.

“We are building up port infrastructure through planning, modernization and new investments. The consistent growth in cargo volumes in the South shows that Brazil is expanding its competitiveness and creating better conditions for exports, job creation and regional development,” he said.

Cargo profile

Dry bulk cargo led overall volumes, driven by shipments of soybeans, fertilizers and grains, totaling 90.9 million tons.

Datamar data reveals that four of Brazil’s largest soybean export hubs are located in the Southern region. While the country’s leading port, Paranaguá, saw a 13.3% increase in annual throughput, others, such as Rio Grande, experienced a 25.7% decline in soybean export volumes.

The following list identifies the primary soybean export ports in Brazil for 2025, based on DataLiner statistics:

Soybean Export Ports | 2025 | WTMT

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Liquid bulk — including crude oil, fuels and animal and vegetable oils — reached 33.7 million tons.

Containerized cargo posted the most significant growth, rising 12.5% from 2024 to 58.9 million tons. General cargo, including food products, chemicals and raw materials, increased 4.5% to 16.2 million tons.

By transport profile, long-haul international shipping accounted for the bulk of activity, totaling 152.3 million tons, up 5.8% year over year. China, Singapore and Iran were the main destinations for outbound cargo.

Coastal shipping, known as cabotage, rose 2.96% to 26.8 million tons, while inland waterway transport increased 4.41% to 6.7 million tons in 2025.

Source: Ministry of Ports and Airports

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