Paranaguá’s role as Brazil’s leading gateway for frozen chicken exports gained further momentum in the first five months of the year, supported by large volumes of the product moving through the Paraná port complex.
The performance has reinforced Paraná’s position as the country’s main export corridor for chicken meat. A key factor behind that capacity is the port’s cold-chain infrastructure, which has been expanded with a focus on efficiency and sustainability.
Part of the structure supporting agribusiness exports is the terminal yard, which has 5,280 power plugs for refrigerated containers used to store and transport different types of animal protein.
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)
The refrigeration operation is fully powered by renewable electricity, certified internationally through the I-REC system, which verifies the use of clean energy sources. The model helps reduce the port’s carbon footprint and supports the sustainability policy led by state-owned port authority Portos do Paraná.
Luiz Fernando Garcia da Silva, CEO of Portos do Paraná, said the expansion reflects the port authority’s commitment to supporting the sustainable growth of operations.
“The consolidation of the country’s largest reefer yard in Paranaguá shows our ability to respond quickly to the demands of the international market. Combining logistics efficiency with 100% renewable energy raises Paraná’s competitiveness and ensures a cleaner and safer export chain,” he said.
As part of the port’s energy transition, a pilot project has also been launched to electrify yard equipment. Three rubber-tired gantry cranes, or RTGs, used to move containers in the rail area, have been converted from diesel to electric power.
The terminal currently operates 40 RTGs, and the pilot marks the first testing phase for a possible expansion of the model across the complex.
The port’s energy infrastructure also includes a new GIS substation, or gas-insulated substation, a high-reliability technology used for electric power distribution.
The terminal, controlled by CMPort, has invested about R$500 million in recent years in expansion and operational modernization. A new investment cycle, estimated at around R$1.5 billion, is being structured and is expected to be formalized with the port authority at a later stage.
Garcia said the investments reflect the strategic planning under way for the port complex.
“The energy modernization and structural investments we are seeing at the port show that Paranaguá is moving ahead of global demand. Our role as port authority is to ensure that this technical expansion takes place in full alignment with operational efficiency and environmental responsibility, keeping Paraná at the forefront of Brazil’s port infrastructure,” he said.
Certification and export chains
The terminal also holds ISO 50001 certification for energy management and has targets tied to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing operational efficiency, in line with the international sustainability standards adopted by the port.
The complex serves one of Brazil’s main export chains, especially animal protein shipments bound for markets in Asia, North America, the Middle East and Europe.
The initiatives are part of Paranaguá’s broader port modernization agenda and are designed to strengthen the competitiveness of Paraná’s logistics system internationally, with a focus on efficiency, sustainability and integration into global trade chains.
Source: Portos do Paraná
