Brazilian waterborne trade growth slowed in 2012

The nation’s cabotage and foreign waterborne trades grew in 2012, but at a far more subdued pace than in 2011 and 2010, while freight volumes declined on its inland waterway system.

General cargo trade set a record in 2012, but volume at 132.4m tonnes was up just 1.3%, a significant drop from the 9.7% annual growth rate of the previous decade. Breakbulk cargo tonnages declined reflecting reduced demand for the still substantial quantities of steel and wood products handled at Brazilian ports.

It was a solid year for Brazilian container traffic with throughput up 3.2% to a record high of just under 8.2m teu. Santos remained the nation’s leading container port with a 36% market share, followed by Paranguá, Portonove/Navagantes, Rio Grande and Rio de Janeiro.