Vehicle handling in Santos grows 46.7% in the first half of the year

TEV handled 102,000 vehicles between January and June 2026, compared with 122,500 units recorded in the same period last year (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The Port of Santos handled 284,100 vehicles (208,900 tonnes) in the first half of this year, including 91,400 exported units and 192,700 imported units. The total represents a 46.7% increase compared with the same period in 2025, according to the Santos Port Authority (APS). The Santos complex accounts for 12.6% of Brazil's total, ranking third nationally.

Combined, the country's ports handled 2.1 million vehicles (1.4 million tonnes) in the first half of this year, including imports and exports, 56% above the volume handled in the same period of 2025. The Port of Vitória (ES) accounted for 46% of the national total, followed by Paranaguá (PR), with 12.8%. The national data come from Comex Stat, Brazil's foreign trade statistical system operated by the Ministry of Development, Industry, Foreign Trade and Services (MDIC), and cover cars, motorcycles, tractors, buses, trucks and other motor vehicles.

The national growth was driven by imports, which totaled 1.9 million units (1 million tonnes), 75% more than in 2025. Exports, meanwhile, reached 262,900 vehicles (363,500 tonnes), representing a 12% decline compared with the same period.

Santos

Brazil's largest port, Santos accounted for more than 30% of all vehicles exported and 10% of those imported in Brazil during the first half of the year. “In sector exports, the Port of Santos has historically consolidated its leading position among Brazilian ports, handling more than one-third of all exported vehicles”, APS said in a statement.

According to APS, of the 284,100 vehicles handled in Santos during the first half, 133,500 were motorcycles and mopeds. At the Port of Santos, exports fell by 18%, while imports increased by 133.8% in 2026 compared with the January-to-June 2025 period. “The data demonstrate the resilience and flexibility of the terminals, which absorbed the surge in imported vehicle volumes”, APS said. Imports were driven by the arrival of Chinese cars.

Paraná

Portos do Paraná, which manages the Antonina and Paranaguá complexes, handled 84,800 units between January and June 2026, compared with 51,200 in 2025. “Growth reached 65.75%, representing the best first half in this segment in recent years”, the Paraná port authority highlighted. According to Comex Stat, the total weight of motor vehicles handled during the first six months of 2026 was 108,700 tonnes. In 2025, the figure was 49,460 tonnes over the same period.

In the first half of this year, 60,200 vehicles were imported and 24,700 exported, according to the company managing the Paraná ports. In 2025, during the same period, 37,800 vehicles were shipped and 13,400 unloaded. “This shows that the receipt of vehicles more than quadrupled. (...) Exports of motor vehicles totaled 20,700 tonnes, while imports reached 88,000 tonnes. From January to June 2025, 32,580 tonnes of vehicles were exported and 16,870 tonnes of vehicles were imported”, the port authority said.

Portos do Paraná considers that “the strong performance is a reflection of the Paraná ports' strategic location and recent investments,” such as the inauguration of Berth 219 in December 2023, dedicated exclusively to vessels transporting vehicles. “The team responsible for vehicle handling is specialized and trained and is recognized for handling cargo with the lowest damage rate in the country. All of this has earned recognition from automakers, which place their trust in Paranaguá.”

Vessels dedicated exclusively to vehicle transportation, known as Ro-Ro ships, berth at the Santos Brasil terminal in Guarujá (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

Port of Vitória

The Reportage team attempted to contact VPorts, which manages the ports of Vitória and Vila Velha, but received no response. According to information published on the company's website, a total of 123,000 vehicles had been handled through May this year.

Santos Brasil and Ecoporto handled more than 112,000 units at the Port of Santos

The Vehicle Export Terminal (TEV), operated by Santos Brasil in Guarujá, and Ecoporto Santos jointly handled more than 112,000 vehicles in the first half of this year. These terminals receive Ro-Ro ships (short for Roll-on/Roll-off), vessels designed to transport wheeled cargo such as cars, trucks, buses and agricultural machinery. Vehicles enter and leave the vessel via ramps under their own power, without the use of cranes.

TEV handled 102,000 vehicles between January and June 2026, compared with 122,500 units recorded in the same period last year. Exports totaled 95,000 units in the first half of 2026, down from the 116,800 units shipped during the first six months of 2025. Imports, by contrast, increased, rising from 5,500 to just over 6,000 vehicles. Nationwide, TEV's share fell from 31% to 22% over the period.

Vessels dedicated exclusively to vehicle transportation, known as Ro-Ro ships, berth at the Santos Brasil terminal in Guarujá (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

According to Santos Brasil's Terminal Operations Director, Marcelo Patrício, the change reflects a transformation in the international automotive market. “The first half of this year was marked by a major shift in market behavior, with imports reaching record levels and exports declining. This can be explained by the increased competitiveness of Chinese models, which are exported directly and have begun entering South America in greater numbers — resulting in a loss of market share for American and European automakers operating in Brazil, particularly in Argentina, which is the main destination market for light vehicles produced in Brazil.”

Patrício notes that the same trend occurred more broadly, favoring the entry of imported vehicles through competing ports. “In the Brazilian market, the dynamics were similar, with the growth in imports dominated by Chinese automakers. State tax incentives led the ports of Vitória, Paranaguá and those in Santa Catarina to concentrate most of this volume. The top position in the handling of imported vehicles, which has historically belonged to the Port of Santos, is now held by Vitória, which recorded 78% growth in imports in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.”

At Ecoporto Santos, performance was stronger this year. The terminal recorded 55% growth in vehicle handling, rising from 6,500 units in the first half of 2025 to just over 10,000 vehicles between January and June this year. “The increase was driven mainly by imports, which more than doubled during the period, rising from 3,800 to 7,900 vehicles. Exports, on the other hand, declined from 2,700 to 2,100 units”, the company said in a statement.

In addition to these specialized terminals, which receive Ro-Ro ships, vehicles are also shipped in containers, particularly motorcycles and mopeds. In this case, they are also handled at BTP and DP World.