Vehicle handling at Port of Santos jumps 46.7% in first half

The Port of Santos handled 284,100 vehicles in the first half of 2026, equivalent to 208,900 metric tons, according to the Santos Port Authority (APS).

The total included 91,400 exported units and 192,700 imported units. Overall vehicle handling at Santos rose 46.7% from the same period in 2025, giving the port a 12.6% share of Brazil’s vehicle trade and placing it third in the national ranking.

Across Brazil, ports handled 2.1 million vehicles in the first half, equivalent to 1.4 million metric tons, including both imports and exports. The volume was 56% higher than in the same period last year.

The Port of Vitória, in Espírito Santo state, accounted for 46% of national vehicle handling, followed by Paranaguá, in Paraná state, with 12.8%.

The national figures come from Comex Stat, Brazil’s official foreign trade statistics system run by trade ministry MDIC, and cover cars, motorcycles, tractors, buses, trucks and other motor vehicles.

The national increase was driven by imports, which totaled 1.9 million units, or 1 million metric tons, up 75% from 2025. Exports reached 262,900 vehicles, or 363,500 metric tons, down 12% from the same period last year.

Santos

Brazil’s largest port, Santos accounted for more than 30% of all vehicles exported through Brazilian ports and 10% of imports in the first half.

“In vehicle exports, the Port of Santos has historically consolidated its leadership among Brazilian ports, handling more than one-third of all exported vehicles,” APS said in a statement.

According to APS, of the 284,100 vehicles handled at Santos in the first half, 133,500 were motorcycles and mopeds.

At Santos, exports fell 18% in the January-June period, while imports rose 133.8% from the same period in 2025.

“The data show the resilience and flexibility of the terminals, which absorbed the jump in imported vehicle volumes,” APS said. The import increase was driven by arrivals of Chinese cars.

Paraná

Portos do Paraná, which manages the Antonina and Paranaguá port complexes, handled 84,800 vehicles from January to June 2026, compared with 51,200 in the same period last year.

“The increase was 65.75%, representing the best first half for this segment in recent years,” the Paraná port authority said.

According to Comex Stat, total motor vehicle handling by weight reached 108,700 metric tons in the first six months of 2026, up from 49,460 metric tons in the same period of 2025.

In the first half of this year, 60,200 vehicles were imported and 24,700 exported through Paraná’s ports. In the same period last year, 37,800 vehicles were shipped and 13,400 were discharged.

“This shows that vehicle arrivals more than quadrupled,” the port authority said. “Motor vehicle exports totaled 20,700 metric tons, while imports reached 88,000 metric tons. From January to June 2025, vehicle exports totaled 32,580 metric tons and imports 16,870 metric tons.”

Portos do Paraná said the strong performance reflects the ports’ privileged location and recent investments, including the inauguration in December 2023 of berth 219, dedicated to vessels that carry vehicles.

“The team working in vehicle handling is specialized and trained, and is recognized for handling cargo with the lowest damage rate in the country. All of this brings recognition from automakers, which trust Paranaguá,” the authority said.

Port of Vitória

The report sought comment from VPorts, which manages the ports of Vitória and Vila Velha, but did not receive a response.

According to information published on the company’s website, the ports handled 123,000 vehicles in the year through May.

Santos Brasil and Ecoporto handle more than 112,000 vehicles at Santos

Santos Brasil’s Vehicle Export Terminal, or TEV, in Guarujá, and Ecoporto Santos together handled more than 112,000 vehicles in the first half of 2026.

The terminals receive Ro-Ro vessels, short for roll-on/roll-off, which are designed to carry wheeled cargo such as cars, trucks, buses and agricultural machinery. Vehicles are driven on and off the ship using ramps, without cranes.

TEV handled 102,000 vehicles between January and June 2026, down from 122,500 units in the same period last year.

Exports totaled 95,000 units in the first half, down from 116,800 units shipped in the first six months of 2025.

Imports moved in the opposite direction, rising from 5,500 to just over 6,000 vehicles. TEV’s national market share fell from 31% to 22% during the period.

Marcelo Patrício, Santos Brasil’s terminal operations director, said the shift reflects a change in the global automotive market.

“The first half of this year was marked by a major change in market behavior, with imports reaching record levels and exports falling,” he said. “This is explained by the increased competitiveness of Chinese models, exported directly, which began entering South America more strongly — resulting in lost market share for U.S. and European automakers installed in Brazil, especially in Argentina, the main destination market for light vehicles produced in Brazil.”

Patrício said the same trend was visible more broadly, favoring the entry of imported vehicles through competing ports.

“In the Brazilian market, the dynamic was similar, with import growth dominated by Chinese automakers. State tax advantages led the ports of Vitória, Paranaguá and Santa Catarina to concentrate most of this volume. The top position in imported vehicle handling, which had always belonged to the Port of Santos, is now held by Vitória, where imports grew 78% in the first half of 2026 from the same period in 2025,” he said.

Ecoporto Santos performed better this year. The terminal recorded a 55% increase in vehicle handling, rising from 6,500 units in the first half of 2025 to just over 10,000 vehicles between January and June 2026.

“The increase was driven mainly by imports, which more than doubled during the period, jumping from 3,800 to 7,900 vehicles. Exports, on the other hand, fell from 2,700 to 2,100 units,” the company said in a statement.

In addition to specialized terminals that receive Ro-Ro ships, vehicles are also shipped in containers, especially motorcycles and mopeds. In that case, they are also handled at BTP and DP World.

Source: A Tribuna

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