Paraná Ports Report 8.6% Increase in Cargo Movement

The cargo movement through the ports of Paranaguá and Antonina in Paraná, Brazil, has increased by 8.6% in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2023. The volume of imports and exports rose from 47.997 million tonnes last year to 52.133 million tonnes this year, marking an increment of 4.135 million tonnes.

This expansion was primarily driven by the export of soybeans, sugar, containers, fertilizers, and cereals such as wheat, malt, and barley. According to Luiz Fernando Garcia, the director-president of Portos do Paraná, these figures exhibit the potential of the Paraná ports. “We are constantly improving the infrastructure, investing in capacity expansion, and enhancing management, which is recognized as the best in the country. This allows us to meet an increasingly demanding market that seeks to export and import through Paranaguá and Antonina,” stated Garcia.

Soybean exports alone accounted for 12.342 million tonnes during this period, reflecting an 8% rise from the 11.449 million tonnes in 2023. Bulk sugar also significantly contributed with a 41% increase, from 3.532 million tonnes last year to 4.966 million tonnes currently. Sugar in bags saw an increase of 49%, with 676 thousand tonnes in 2024 compared to 454 thousand tonnes the previous year.

Fertilizer imports rose by 11%, from 7.057 million tonnes in 2023 to 7.845 million tonnes this year. Cereals saw a remarkable increase of 64%, growing from 495 thousand tonnes in the first nine months of 2023 to 814 thousand tonnes from January to September of 2024. “There has been a significant increase in cereal imports, with over 60% growth in the importation of malt, barley, and wheat for the industrial sector, mainly the brewing industry,” noted Gabriel Vieira, the director of Port Operations at Portos do Paraná.

The movement of containers also showed substantial growth, both in imports and exports, reaching 1.169 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). This number represents a 34% increase from the 875 thousand TEUs reported last year.

Despite a rainy September and reduced demand for exports of soybeans and soybean meal, Paranaguá and Antonina reported more than 5.7 million tonnes of cargo movement. “Considering the last 12 months of accumulated cargo movement, we have already surpassed 69.5 million tonnes,” evaluated Vieira.