Sep 22, 2025
Northern Ports in Brazil Relieve Pressure on Port of Paranagua
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
One of the most frequent questions I get concerning Brazil is if the logistics in the country can keep pace with the ever-expanding grain production. Logistics are certainly a challenge in Brazil, but they are making progress. The Northern Arc of ports have helped to solve some of the logistical issues in Brazil.
These new and expanding ports on the Amazon River and its tributaries, as well as along the northern Atlantic Coast, have helped to relieve the pressure on Brazil's traditional ports in southeastern and southern Brazil. The multi kilometer long lines of trucks waiting to unload at the Port of Paranagua for example are a thing of the past.
Another important factor is that Brazil harvests and exports its two most important crops, soybeans and corn, at different times of the year. The soybeans are harvested in January-February-March, while the corn is generally harvested in June-July-August. This allows port activities to be spread out throughout the year.
From January through August 2025, the Port of Paranagua shipped 11.3 million tons of soybeans from not only the state of Parana, but also from parts of Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, and Goias. The main destination for soybeans exported in the period was China which accounted for more than 90% of the total followed by Thailand (2.2%) and Iraq (1.6%).
Another product gaining prominence at the Port of Paranagua is soybean meal. Thus far in 2025, the port has shipped 4.5 million tons of soybean meal, or 29% of Brazil's total. The main destinations were the Netherlands, France, South Korea, Spain, Indonesia, and Germany. During the month of August, France was the main importer of Brazilian soybean meal.
The livestock industry is concentrated in southern Brazil, and the Port of Paranagua is the main port for poultry exports. Nearly half of Brazil's poultry exports are via the Port of Paranagua (44.4% of the total). The main origin of these poultry products are the states of Parana and Santa Catarina.
Even with the increased volumes of grain and container exports, the current vessel lineup at the port is no more than a day, or the time it takes for the release procedures and the docking process.