Wilson Sons plans Tecon Rio Grande expansion to handle larger vessels and Southern Cone market

Wilson Sons, a port and maritime logistics operator with more than 188 years, plans to expand Tecon Rio Grande, in Rio Grande do Sul, through investments of more than R$1.1 billion by 2030. The initiative aims to increase the terminal’s operating capacity and meet growing logistics demand from Rio Grande do Sul and the Southern Cone, strengthening regional competitiveness and Brazil’s economic infrastructure.

The need for expansion follows a movement already under way, driven by growth in exporters’ production and increased container transshipment from countries such as Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. In this context, the investments are essential to avoid logistics bottlenecks and ensure the terminal maintains its high operational performance while serving increasingly larger vessels.

Among the main initiatives is the expansion of the quay, which will increase from the current 900 meters to 1,200 meters. The expansion will allow the simultaneous operation of up to three large vessels, especially New Panamax ships, which are 366 meters long and predominate on international routes. The goal is to ensure the port maintains its role as a cargo hub in the Southern Cone region — Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay — while handling the largest vessels calling on the Brazilian coast.

“The expansion directly responds to the need to ensure the shipment of production from exporters in Rio Grande do Sul and the Southern Cone, as well as to serve importers, who depend on the port’s efficiency to keep Rio Grande do Sul competitive in the national and international markets. If these investments were postponed, there would be a risk of significant operational restrictions, such as vessel queues, skipped port calls and cargo diversion to other ports, with a direct impact on the state’s logistics costs,” said Paulo Bertinetti, CEO of Tecon Rio Grande.

Logistics efficiency and job creation

The project also includes expansion of the terminal’s hinterland, paving of more than 180,000 square meters and the acquisition of new equipment, including three ship-to-shore cranes, 14 rubber-tired gantry cranes and 26 tractors. All of the equipment will be electric, with embedded automation and remote operation, as well as latest-generation telemetry systems for asset monitoring.

The investment is also expected to support the region’s socioeconomic development, with an estimated 220 direct jobs, in addition to 500 jobs during construction and more than 5,000 indirect positions across the logistics chain. “Investments of this magnitude tend to generate new opportunities throughout the different stages of the project and operations, contributing to the strengthening of the local economy,” Bertinetti added.

The project is not only a physical expansion. It is a guarantee that Rio Grande do Sul will remain directly connected to the world’s main markets, avoiding additional transshipment costs at other ports. The expansion comes amid continuous growth in regional production and rising demand for adequate logistics infrastructure.

Tecon Rio Grande currently serves as the main gateway for inputs and products entering and leaving the economy of Rio Grande do Sul and the broader Southern Cone. Among cargoes of Brazilian origin, exports include frozen chicken, pork, tobacco, rice, resins, pulp and furniture, while imports include parts and components, machinery, chemicals and steel products. In flows from neighboring countries, the terminal handles transshipment cargoes including beef, parts and components, wood, chemicals, machinery, resins, electronic equipment and seeds.

With the project, the terminal reinforces its role as strategic infrastructure for shipping production from southern Brazil and for the logistics integration of the Southern Cone. In a scenario of rapid transformation in maritime transport, adapting port capacity is no longer a differentiator but a condition for Brazil’s competitiveness in international trade.

Source: Wilson Sons

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