Photo: screengrab from the official website of Brasil 247

247 - Port traffic in the Northeast maintained the growth rate in 2025. From January to May, the ports in the region moved more than 33.5 million tons, according to data from the National Aquarium Transport Agency (Antaq). The performance reflects the strength of the northeastern logistics infrastructure and was driven especially by the ports of Itaqui (MA), Salvador (BA) and Natal (RN), which presented significant advances on different fronts.

In Maranhão, the Port of Itaqui recorded growth of 12.28% in the cumulative year, reversing the 8.4% drop observed in the same period of 2024. The recovery was driven by three major chains: fertilizers and nutrients (+35.69%), oil (+15.05%) and soybeans (+11.05%), all with negative performance in the previous year. The result confirms the recovery of operations and reinforces the terminal's position as one of the main North-Northeast export corridors.

In Bahia, Porto de Salvador maintained the positive performance, with an increase of 1.52% in the cumulative 2025. Despite being a more modest growth compared to the 55.98% recorded in the same period of 2024, the result signals stability. The terminal's operation is strongly based on cabotage, which accounted for 86.1% of the traffic. Among the best performing loads are reactors, boilers and machinery, which grew 39.10% after a strong fall in the previous year, in addition to containers (+8.74%) and wheat (+5.04%).

Porto de Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte, also showed recovery after a negative performance in 2024. After registering a 37.2% drop last year, the potiguar terminal grew by 2.86% between January and May 2025. The progress was driven by the resumption of fruit exports, especially melons, watermelons and papayas, which grew 920.69% compared to the same period last year.

This resumption is directly related to the behavior of the crop. In 2024, heavy rains in the producing region compromised the flow of fruits at the beginning of the year. Already in 2025, shipments took place normally, with a highlight for the months of January and February. The total exported volume increased from 46.4 thousand tons in the 2023/2024 harvest to 131.5 thousand tons in the 2024/2025 harvest. In addition to melons and watermelons, mangoes, grapes and lemons were also exported, expanding the diversity of the potiguar diet.

For Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho, the figures reflect the federal government's effort to strengthen logistics in all regions of the country.

"Growth in Northeast ports confirms the logistics potential of the region and the importance of continuing to invest in infrastructure to ensure competitiveness, integration and job creation," he said. "The federal government, through the Ministry of Ports and Airports, remains committed to strengthening logistics corridors in all regions of the country - with special attention to the Northeast, which has a strategic role in the flow of production and the expansion of Brazilian exports."

The northeastern ports are essential for the flow of grains, minerals, tropical fruits, oil and derivatives, which represent a significant part of Brazil's exports. The region's strategic location - closer to Europe and North America - reduces transport costs and time, further strengthening the role of the Northeast in national and international logistics.

(Reported by Brasil 247 on July 25, 2025)