Ports in Amapá and Rondônia record cargo throughput growth in April

The public ports of Rondônia and Amapá experienced strong growth in cargo throughput in April, primarily driven by the movement of grains, including soybeans. According to data from the Waterway Statistics Dashboard of the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq), the terminals in Amapá and Rondônia saw increases of 35% and 8%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

In Amapá, the Santana Port Terminal experienced a significant increase in cargo throughput, with nearly a 35% growth, consolidating its role as one of the main logistics hubs in the Northern Region. In solid bulk, 382,000 metric tons were handled during the month, representing a 43.06% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Of this total, 254,000 tons were soybeans, and another 36,000 tons were soybean extraction by-products, reinforcing the state’s leading role in the outflow of regional agricultural production. In April 2024, the terminal had handled 283,000 tons, including 267,000 tons of solid bulk, of which 164,000 tons were soybeans.

The Porto Velho terminal in Rondônia handled 253 thousand tons in April, a growth of nearly 8% compared to the same month last year. Soybeans led the shipment of products, totaling 237,000 tons, representing an approximately 10% year-over-year increase. The figures reflect the strengthening of the regional logistics chain and the growing importance of port infrastructure for the state’s economy. In April 2024, 235,000 tons were handled, including 216,000 tons of soybeans.

According to Alex Ávila, National Secretary for Ports and Waterway Transport at the Ministry of Ports and Airports, the results confirm the strategic role of the Northern Region as a viable alternative to the traditional export corridors of the Southeast and South. “The strengthening of the ports in Amapá and Rondônia represents more than regional economic advancement—it is a decisive step toward consolidating a more integrated, efficient, and sustainable national logistics system, aligned with the challenges of Brazil’s agribusiness growth,” Ávila emphasized.

Investments and modernization
In February 2025, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Minister of Ports and Airports Silvio Costa Filho officially announced the leasing of Terminal MCP03 at the Port of Santana (AP), a facility dedicated to the storage and handling of bulk solid vegetable products, such as soybeans and corn.

Resulting from a public auction held in December 2024, the contract provides for investments of R$ 89 million over 25 years, with a validity period extending through 2049. Planned upgrades include the expansion of Pier 1, deepening dredging, paving, and the installation of new storage silos. These improvements will increase the terminal’s cargo capacity from 450,000 to 917,000 tons, nearly doubling its production throughput potential.

Waterways
To expand the flow of products from the Northern Region to the rest of the country, the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) has included the Madeira River waterway in its portfolio of assets to be privatized. Connecting the states of Rondônia and Amazonas, the waterway is considered strategic for national production outflow. The stretch is 1,075 kilometers long and is part of the government’s plan to strengthen regional logistics through sustainable modes. The ministry is working on the project model and anticipates that the auction will take place by the end of 2026.

Despite the severe drought recorded in 2024, the waterway corridor moved around 10 million tons of cargo. Technical studies indicate that the waterway’s potential could exceed 25 million tons per year, underscoring its importance to Brazil’s logistics matrix.

The concession project envisions investments of approximately R$109 million in infrastructure works, including dredging, rock removal, channel marking, and signaling, as well as R$ 40 million for operations over a 12-year contract. The improvements are expected to increase navigation safety and boost job and income generation in the municipalities and riverside communities along the route.

Fees for transported cargo will only be charged after the future concessionaire has effectively begun providing services. Passenger transport will remain exempt from charges, preserving the social function of the mode for the local population.

Source: Informativo dos Portos

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