Located on the banks of São Marcos Bay in São Luís, the Port of Itaqui continues to solidify its role as one of the engines of development for Maranhão and Brazil. In July, the public terminal achieved the best result in its history, handling 3.76 million tonnes and receiving 112 vessels. Year-to-date, more than 21 million tonnes have been handled, reinforcing the port’s strategic importance as a gateway for fertilizer imports and grain exports to international markets.
Here is a historical overview of handling at the Port of Itaqui from January 2022 to June 2025. The chart was prepared using data from DataLiner:
Imports and Exports at the Port of Itaqui | Jan 2022 – Jun 2025 | WTMT
Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)
One of the key factors behind this performance is the intensification of Ship-to-Ship (StS) operations. In July alone, 415,000 tonnes were handled through this method—double the expected volume for the month and twice the amount registered in July 2024. A total of 11 vessels were served alongside, accounting for one-third of all StS operations in 2025 and 65% of the total for the year.
“The performance of the Port of Itaqui highlights the strength of Brazil’s port infrastructure and the strategic role of Maranhão and the Northeast in national and international logistics integration, underscoring the importance of expanding investments to ensure competitiveness and job creation,” said the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho.
The acting president of the Port of Itaqui, Isa Mary Mendonça, emphasized that the results reflect the port’s expansion strategy. “The numbers confirm the positive impact of Itaqui’s investments in operational capacity, continuous process improvement, and strengthened infrastructure to meet the growing logistics demand in Maranhão and Brazil.”
Positive results
From January to July, Itaqui handled 21.042 million tonnes, with growth across all cargo segments: dry bulk (+8%), liquid bulk (+11%), and general cargo (+3%). Among the products showing the most significant growth are: soy (+7%), fertilizers (+25%), copper (+12%), petroleum derivatives (+6%), transshipment of petroleum derivatives (+19%), beef tallow (+34%), pulp (+2%), and railway tracks (+69%).
Soy remains the leading export product, shipped primarily from the MATOPIBA region (Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia), as well as from Goiás, Mato Grosso, and Pará. Pulp also gained ground, with around 1.6 million tonnes produced in Imperatriz (MA) shipped to markets such as the United States and Spain.
On the import side, fertilizers from Russia, China, Canada, and Oman are bolstering Brazil’s agribusiness sector. The port also receives petroleum derivatives from countries such as the United States, India, and the United Arab Emirates. On the export side, China remains the main destination for soy, while the United States imports pulp, pig iron, and beef tallow. Other significant markets include Spain, Egypt, Germany, Turkey, Pakistan, and Vietnam.
Pulp movement exceeded projections by 13% and grew 46% compared to July 2024. The result underscores Itaqui’s ability to serve not only agribusiness but also higher value-added industries, consolidating its position as a logistics hub in the Northern Arc.
With its strategic location, rail connections via the North-South and Carajás networks, ample storage capacity, and ongoing investments in efficiency, Itaqui is expected to maintain a trajectory of sustainable growth.
Source: Ministério dos Portos e Aeroportos
