The terminal has the largest yard for refrigerated containers in Brazil
Between January and August 2026, TCP, the company that manages the Paranaguá Container Terminal, set a new record for refrigerated container exports. In total, 93,700 units were shipped, a figure 6% higher than the result for the same period in 2025, which was 88,400 units.
This result reflects the growth in shipments of meat and frozen products at TCP, which rose 12%, with volume surging from 2.359 million metric tons in 2025 to 2.635 million metric tons in 2026.
According to Fabio Mattos, TCP’s commercial manager, “the growth is mainly due to the resumption of chicken meat shipments following 2025—when Brazil faced health restrictions—and to the expansion in pork exports, which grew at the Paranaguá Container Terminal at a rate above the national average.”
In the first eight months of the year, TCP shipped 1.777 million metric tons of frozen chicken meat, a 21% increase over the 1.469 million metric tons recorded during the same period last year. The main destinations were China (12%), the United Arab Emirates (9%), and South Africa (8%). About 47% of all chicken meat exported by Brazil was shipped through the Paranaguá Container Terminal.
According to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), the country exported 3.921 million metric tons of chicken meat in 2026, generating revenue of US$7.689 billion—a 21.9% increase compared to the US$6.308 billion recorded in 2025.
Beef exports also stood out, ranking second among the top shipments at the TCP, totaling 439,000 metric tons. The main importers of the product exported through the terminal were China (43%), the United States (13%), and Russia (8%). According to a report by the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (ABIEC), the country shipped 2.202 million metric tons of beef, a 5.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative revenue reached US$ 12.79 billion, a 21.7% increase.
As for pork shipments, TCP saw a 48% increase in exports, which rose from 15,800 metric tons to 23,400 metric tons. The Philippines (34%), Ivory Coast (16%), and Liberia (13%) were the main buyers of the product exported by TCP.
“The Paranaguá Container Terminal handles a large number of weekly calls, offers specialized services for the refrigerated cargo segment, and boasts Brazil’s largest infrastructure for refrigerated container storage, with 5,280 power outlets. TCP is the country’s largest shipping hub for meat and frozen goods and expects to expand its market share with the completion of expansion work to bring the number of power outlets to approximately 6,000, scheduled for 2027,” explains Mattos.
Currently, TCP is the largest hub for maritime services on the Brazilian coast, with 22 regular weekly routes, including both long-haul and coastal shipping operations.
