Cabotage shipping grows 3.4% in 2025, according to Antaq

According to Abac, 1.923 million TEU were moved via cabotage last year, representing an increase of 23.6% compared with 2024 (Carlos Nogueira/Arquivo AT)

One figure drew attention in the annual report released by the Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq) last week: the growth of cabotage shipping (between ports within the country). In 2025, the increase reached 3.4%, totaling 303.7 million tonnes, compared with 293.56 million tonnes in 2024. The figure consolidates an upward trend in recent years, while still allowing room for even greater growth.

According to the Associação Brasileira dos Armadores de Cabotagem (Abac), 1.923 million TEU (a unit of measurement equivalent to a standard 20-foot container) were handled via cabotage last year. This represents an increase of 23.6% compared with 2024, when 1.556 million TEU were recorded.

Regarding total volume by segment, also according to Abac data, domestic cargo stood out, accounting for 48.12% of the total, followed by feeder cargo (containers transported by smaller vessels that connect regional ports to major hubs), with 40.22%, and cargo destined for Mercosur, with 11.66%.

“Cabotage is crucial in Brazil, not only because it offers cargo transport with lower logistics costs, but mainly because it efficiently connects ports along the coastline,” says the National Secretary of Ports, Alex Ávila.

According to him, the increase in cargo handling via cabotage is a “reflection of the promotion of shipping through public policies, as well as the growth of domestic cargo movement and feeder services provided to long-haul vessels.”

Abac’s executive director, Luis Fernando Resano, points out that the growth of cabotage also reflects the increase in container handling, which has exceeded 10% per year over the past 10 years, serving as an important indicator of the growing understanding of cabotage use.

“There is still much room for growth, because the potential of cabotage for the decarbonization of the country is enormous. We need to ensure that this potential is recognized by cabotage users,” he notes.

Room for further growth

A master’s degree holder and logistics projects specialist, Marcos Nardi believes the growth is important, but still modest compared with Brazil’s potential for this type of operation. “We should see even greater adoption of this mode, and these figures should continue to rise,” he predicts.

According to him, the increase in cabotage is influenced by several factors, such as the shortcomings of Brazil’s current transport system, high operating costs, imbalance in the transport matrix, and an excessive tax burden. All these factors compel shippers to seek alternatives that result in lower costs for the same level of service.

“BR do Mar (a Federal Government program aimed at encouraging cargo transport by sea between Brazilian ports) was created to promote this growth, by updating regulations and fostering the expansion of this transport mode,” he adds.

Port of Santos as a hub to support the sector

In Santos, cabotage accounts for 20% of containerized cargo handling, while long-haul shipping represents 80%. For experts interviewed by A Tribuna, the Porto de Santos plays a fundamental role in supporting the sector.

“Santos is a consolidating hub and is strategically located in relation to several regions of the country, making it attractive for receiving and dispatching these cargoes to serve this mode of transport, and therefore extremely important for the success of this expansion,” says Marcos Nardi.

Other ports, such as Chibatão, in the Industrial Pole of Manaus, Amazonas (67%); Suape, in Pernambuco (75%); and Pecém, in Ceará (79%), show even higher percentages of cabotage shipping, according to the Antaq report. However, these are hubs specifically designed for this purpose. The percentage recorded by Santos is viewed positively by the sector.

“Everyone wants cabotage to grow and evolve. There is good distribution. The main ports handle 20% of all cargo movement using cabotage. There are also some characteristic hubs, such as Chibatão, Suape and Pecém, where cabotage is very strong. That is the very reason these ports exist. But Santos already has 20% cabotage,” says Antaq’s manager of statistics and performance evaluation, Fernando Serra, who took part in the presentation of the report.

According to Nardi, expanding port capacity in Santos is important to avoid berthing delays.

The National Secretary of Ports, Alex Ávila, also underscores the importance of Santos in the context of container handling. “It is natural that the Port of Santos also holds a well-deserved prominent position in this cargo segment.”

Ávila notes that the country’s largest container terminals are located in Santos, and the figures show a significant increase, especially driven by terminal modernization, which has led to more efficient operations.

According to him, the increase in cargo volumes at Brazilian ports highlights the importance of the sector to the national economy, particularly to agribusiness.