The Port of Rio Grande handled 17 million tonnes of cargo from January through May 2026, the highest volume ever recorded for the period since the current data series began in 2016. The result was up 5.3% from the same period in 2025.
The performance also exceeded 2024 levels, when the port handled 14.7 million tonnes over the first five months of the year.
Corn, pulp and soybeans were among the main drivers of the increase, with corn posting the strongest growth.
According to a report by Portos RS, the state-owned port authority that manages Rio Grande do Sul’s public port infrastructure, corn volumes rose 77.9% to 1.39 million tonnes.
Pulp increased 15.18% to 1.97 million tonnes, while soybean shipments reached 1.88 million tonnes, up 4.78% from the first five months of 2025.
Sandro Oliveira, Portos RS’ director of institutional relations, said the figures reflect the port’s growing role in international trade.
“We are taking part in an important moment for logistics in Rio Grande do Sul. There are still challenges ahead, but the numbers show that the Port of Rio Grande has been expanding its cargo movement and consolidating its position as one of the country’s main terminals,” he said.
China remains top destination
China remained the leading destination for exports shipped through the Port of Rio Grande and was also the main market for the port’s top export products.
In the first five months of the year, more than 2 million tonnes left the port bound for the Asian country.
Overall, the Port of Rio Grande exported 9.8 million tonnes and imported 3.78 million tonnes between January and May.
Terminals handle bulk of operations
The Rio Grande Container Terminal (Tecon Rio Grande) led cargo movement at the port complex, handling 4.32 million tonnes, or 25.4% of the total.
Among the commodities exported through Tecon Rio Grande, tobacco stood out with 8,151 TEUs shipped, followed by ethylene polymers with 6,400 TEUs. The chart below shows the export and import volumes recorded in recent years on the DataLiner platform:
Exports & Imports | Tecon Rio Grande | 2023-2026 | TEUs
Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)
It was followed by Porto Novo, with 3.66 million tonnes; Bianchini, with 3.1 million tonnes; and Tergrasa, with 2.67 million tonnes. Together, the four terminals accounted for more than 80% of total cargo movement at the complex.
Yara also handled a significant volume, at 1.05 million tonnes, followed by Bunge, with 857,000 tonnes.
Source: GZH Zona Sul
