MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Despite war in Ukraine and the Chinese lockdown, Brazilian ports overall had a positive performance

According to Antaq’s balance sheet, government managed ports handled 422.2 million tons in 2022, an increase of 3.12% over 2021

Despite the negative effects of a hectic year with unexpected events such as the war between Russia and Ukraine and the lockdowns imposed by China throughout 2022, Brazilian ports handled 1.209 billion tons last year. The figure was released by the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), this month in Brasília.

Compared to 2021, when the port sector managed a record 1.214 billion tons transported, there was a slight drop of 0.4%. For the director general of the agency, Eduardo Nery, the numbers are positive, considering the Russian offensive on the Ukrainian territory and the drop in imports from China, the main buyer from Brazil, due to the strict sanitary barriers imposed by the Asian country to contain the contagion advance of covid-19 in the country.

“Despite the war in Ukraine and the slowdown in China, Brazilian ports have been meeting all the demand that arise,” stated Nery.

According to Antaq’s balance sheet, government managed ports handled 422.2 million tons in 2022, an increase of 3.12% over 2021. Santos leads the ranking, with 126.2 million tons (+11.42%), followed by the ports of Suape (PE), Itaqui (MA) and Paranaguá (PR), with handling of 24.7 million tons (+12%), 33.6 million tons (+8.2%) and 52 million tons (+0.8%), respectively.

In 2022, solid bulk handling totaled 712 million tons (+0.8% over 2021), with emphasis on Santos, with growth of 18.24% (more than 68 million tons) and the Tubarão Terminal (ES), up 6% (67.3 million tons).

As to general cargo operations, 63.2 million tons were handled, 6.33% more than in 2021. Portocel (ES), Private and Mixed Use Terminal at the Port of Praia Mole (TPS/ES), Port of Rio Grande (RS) and Santos recorded increases in their transactions. However both liquid and gaseous bulk handling and containerized cargo fell: 3% and 3.5%, respectively.

The agricultural sector moved 311.6 million tons in 2022, an increase of 8% compared to 2021. Corn leads the movement, with 60.9 million tons (up 93.1% over 2021), followed by sugar (27.2 million tons, +0.4%) and wheat (6.9 million tons, +7.3%). Soybeans, the sector’s main export commodity, moved 98 million tons last year, 11% less than in 2021.

In cabotage container transport, the Port of Santos leads, still registering a 2% increase in TEU handling over 2021. TUP DP World Santos, on the other hand, presented a decrease of 1.6%.
Antaq also points to an annual growth of 11.2% in inland navigation (73.1 million tons), with the volume of solid bulk handled rising 15.36%, followed by liquids and gases (+14.1% ) and containerized cargo (+3.64%). General cargo fell 3.14% compared to the previous year. The most prominent products in the modal are corn (+83.79%), iron ore (+62.05%), box semi-trailers (+38.72%) and fertilizers (+23.46%).

Long-haul navigation handled 849.6 million tons in 2022 (down 0.75%). Cabotage moved 283.3 million tons (-1.89%). Maritime and port support also registered a decrease (-9.28% and -4.03%, respectively). Finally for this year, Antaq is estimating a movement of 1.24 billion tons in Brazilian ports, with an expected growth of 2.5% compared to 2022.