Full cargo export and import flows increase by 7%
TCP, the company that manages the Paranaguá Container Terminal, reached a total throughput of 690,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent unit) between January and May 2026, a 2% increase compared to 2025.
“The result was driven by the increase in the flow of full cargo shipments and landings, which registered a 7% increase, rising from 4.5 million tons in 2025 to 4.8 million tons in 2026,” explained Fabio Mattos, commercial manager at TCP. Considering only cargo volume, excluding container weight, exports totaled 3.5 million tons, up 8%, while imports reached 1.3 million tons, a figure 6% higher than that recorded the previous year.
One of the highlights was the refrigerated container (reefer) operation, used to transport meat and frozen goods, which handled 64,470 units, a volume 9% above the 59,054 units from 2025. According to Mattos, “the infrastructure, the high volume of maritime services, and the specialized service to meat exporters place TCP as the main national partner in the shipment of refrigerated cargo.” The Paranaguá Container Terminal has the largest reefer container storage area in the country, with 5,280 plugs, and its capacity will be expanded later this year.
TCP is also the largest hub for shipping lines on the Brazilian coast, featuring 23 regular weekly services across long-haul and cabotage operations. With a higher frequency of vessel calls and lines connecting Paranaguá to other terminals on the Brazilian coast and to the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia, the Terminal’s pier received 427 ships between January and May.
On the railway, which connects the branch lines in Cascavel, Cambé, and Ortigueira to the operations yard within the Terminal’s customs area, 545 trains were spotted and 972,000 tons of cargo were moved during the period.
Meanwhile, the road segment recorded the highest number of containers handled for the period, with 267,000 units, 6% more than in 2025.
Meat leads shipments and the automotive sector advances in imports
As the main product exported by the Paranaguá Container Terminal, the meat and frozen goods segment stood out by shipping 1.7 million tons, a volume 13% above the 1.5 million tons of the previous year. “The resumption of chicken meat shipments after the lifting of restrictions imposed on Brazil in 2025 caused exports to skyrocket. Pork exports also rose, and the Terminal has demonstrated capacity and efficiency to meet market demand,” comments Mattos.
The wood commercial segment, which supplies the furniture, packaging, and civil construction industries, had a stable performance and exported 598,000 tons throughout 2026. Next comes the paper and pulp segment, which grew 9%, reaching 446,000 tons shipped.
In imports, the automotive sector landed 236,000 tons, a result 3% higher than the previous year, indicating an advance in supply mainly to the industrial hub of Curitiba and its metropolitan area. The chemical segment ranked second with the import of 214,000 tons of products, highlighting inputs for the fertilizer and agricultural defense industries.
