Northern Region breaks record in port movement

Ports of Amapá lead growth with 74% more cargo transported, totaling 3.74 million tons

The organized ports of the North Region reached a new milestone in May of this year, moving 3.74 million tons of cargo, an increase of almost 2% compared to the same month in 2024, when 3.66 million tons were handled. The data comes from the Waterway Statistics, released by the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq).

Amapá stood out as the state with the highest percentage growth: movement jumped from 131,000 to 229,000 tons, an increase of over 74% compared to the same period last year, driven mainly by soybean exports.

A large portion of the total volume, approximately 3.2 million tons, corresponded to the transportation of solid bulk cargo. Soybeans led the movement, more than doubling the volume recorded the previous year, jumping from 817,000 to 1.6 million tons.

Next come fertilizers, which rose from 383,000 to 486,000 tons, and bauxite, used as a raw material for manufacturing aluminum, grew from 299,000 to 348,000 tons.

"This movement demonstrates the enormous logistical potential of the North region for Brazil," said the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho. "We are intensifying public and private investments in the states of the region, focusing on strategic modes that increase the competitiveness of national transportation, generate jobs and income for the local population, and guarantee more affordable prices for the consumer," he concluded.

Among the ports with the highest throughput is Vila do Conde (PA), which led the ranking with 1.8 million tons. Next in line are Santarém (PA) with 1.2 million tons, Santana (AP) with 364,000 tons, Porto Velho (RO) with 207,000 tons, and Belém (PA) with 120,000 tons.

Infrastructure expansion

To continue modernizing port logistics, the Ministry of Ports and Airports plans a series of port auctions this semester. The round is expected to attract R$1.03 billion in private investment and includes four terminals, including VCD29 in Vila do Conde, Pará.