TCP container terminal sees 71% surge in cabotage volumes in 2025

Cabotage operations for container transport at TCP, the company that operates the Paranaguá Container Terminal, rose by 71% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year.

With a total of 44,714 TEUs handled in the first six months, the terminal’s cabotage operations surpassed the 26,094 TEUs recorded in 2024. “Cabotage is a sustainable, reliable, and cost-competitive logistics solution. Since the return of these services at TCP in the first two months of 2024, we’ve seen more clients opting for this service and increasing their volumes, which demonstrates the efficiency of this mode and greater integration with the logistics chain of importers and exporters using the terminal,” explained Carolina Merkle Brown, TCP’s commercial manager for shipping lines and market intelligence.

By the end of June, imports accounted for 21,714 TEUs, transshipments (moving containers from one vessel to another) totaled 17,603 TEUs, and exports amounted to 5,227 TEUs.

In total, the terminal handled 20 cabotage vessels at its quay, averaging over three calls per week during the first half of the year. “Cabotage operations at TCP offer punctuality and operational capacity, enabling exporters to meet importers’ deadlines efficiently, while industries and businesses in Paraná and neighboring states receive goods and raw materials quickly and safely,” she added. TCP currently offers two cabotage services.

Half-year report shows new container handling record

From January to June 2025, TCP reached a new all-time high in container handling, with 803,041 TEUs moved—a 3% increase over the 780,460 TEUs handled in the same period last year.

One of the highlights was the handling of refrigerated containers, used primarily for exporting and importing meat and frozen goods, which reached a record 69,290 units—an increase of 7% from the 64,641 units moved in 2024.

Driven by import and export flows, the number of vessel calls also hit a first-half record in 2025, with 526 vessels arriving for both deep-sea and cabotage operations, a 3% increase.

The report also noted a significant boost in rail operations. The number of train arrivals at the terminal rose 9%, reaching 667 compared to 611 last year, and the number of containers handled by rail totaled 53,155 units—2,753 more than in 2024.

Source: TCP

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