The Port of Paranaguá, one of Brazil’s main logistics corridors, is expanding its role in foreign trade as cargo volumes continue to grow. From January through May 2026, the port complex exported 277,500 tonnes of beef, the second-largest volume among Brazilian ports and equivalent to 24.7% of the country’s beef exports. The main destinations were China, the United States and Russia.
Between exports and imports, TCP handled 310,114 TEUs in long-haul operations in the first four months of the year. The chart below shows the figures recorded in recent years, according to Datamar:
Exports & Imports | Port of Paranaguá | TEUs
Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)
According to TCP, the company that operates the terminal, exports totaled 3.5 million tonnes of cargo, excluding the weight of the containers themselves, up 8% from the same period last year. Imports reached 1.3 million tonnes, a 6% increase.
Ports and Airports Minister Tomé Franca said Paranaguá is strengthening its national leadership in animal protein shipments and reinforcing its strategic role in Brazilian agribusiness.
“The increase in cargo movement is being supported by investments that will expand port capacity and improve efficiency in both production flows and port infrastructure,” Franca said.
Infrastructure upgrades
To keep pace with rising cargo demand, Paranaguá is part of a package of investments led by Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports to expand logistics capacity and modernize port access.
One of the main projects is Moegão, a new rail unloading system for Paranaguá’s export corridor. Considered the largest public port project currently under way in Brazil, the works are more than 95% complete and have received over R$500 million in investment, with financing from Brazil’s national development bank, BNDES.
The new structure is expected to increase the port’s rail capacity by about 60%, lifting daily movement from 550 railcars to 900. The project is also considered strategic for shifting more cargo to rail and improving the balance of the local logistics network.
Another key development is the concession of Paranaguá’s access channel, the waterway that links the port complex to the open sea. The contract provides for R$1.23 billion in investments over 25 years for dredging, maintenance and management of the channel infrastructure. The goal is to improve operational predictability and navigational safety.
Sustainability
Paranaguá has also been adopting measures to reduce the environmental impact of port operations, including the installation of solar power systems at terminals inside the complex. The initiatives are aimed at cutting carbon emissions and aligning Brazil’s port sector with environmental requirements increasingly present in international trade.
Located in one of the most strategic logistics regions in southern Brazil, the Port of Paranaguá connects major producing areas to international markets. In 2025, Paraná’s ports set an all-time cargo handling record, moving about 73.5 million tonnes, the highest volume ever recorded in the state.
“With new investments in port infrastructure, waterway access and sustainability, the port is becoming more efficient and competitive to support the growth of Brazilian exports, expand its operating capacity and strengthen its position among South America’s main logistics hubs,” Franca said.
Source: TCP
