TCP, the operator of Brazil’s Paranaguá Container Terminal, reached a new all-time high in reefer container handling for the first quarter with 35,809 units, translating to an increase of 17% compared to the same period last year.
Considered the largest poultry meat export corridor in the world, the box terminal broke a record by increasing its market share in shipments in the first quarter, reaching 44% of the national market share.
“The Paranaguá Container Terminal stands out for its specialized service and the quality of the service provided to meat and frozen food exporters, in order to guarantee maximum satisfaction for our clients,” explains Giovanni Guidolim, TCP’s commercial, logistics and customer service manager. “In poultry, we have a long-standing partnership with the industries in our region of influence, and we continue to work to absorb the increase in productivity in the sector, as well as the arrival of new customers.”
The main buyers of poultry meat in March were China, with 46,400 tons imported (+19.3%), and Saudi Arabia, with 40,500 tons (+15.7%). The states that stood out most in exports were Paraná, with 192,300 tons shipped (+11.6%), and Santa Catarina, with 106,100 tons (12.1%).
In beef exports, TCP set a new record for the first quarter, registering a 32% market share in shipments of the product.
Guidolim added: “With the completion of the expansion work on the largest yard for storing refrigerated containers in South America, combined with factors such as a normalized yard occupancy rate and an efficient system for scheduling the delivery and pick-up of cargo, the Terminal ended the first quarter of 2025 converting new customers and expanding its market share in the meat and frozen food segment. In beef shipments, for example, we saw a 53% increase in volume, well above the national average.”
The main destinations for Brazilian beef in the first quarter were China, with 284,300 tons imported, and the United States, with 88,000 tons. The Brazilian states that stood out in terms of exports were São Paulo, Mato Grosso and Goiás.
In June 2024, TCP completed the expansion of its reefer yard. With a 45% increase in the number of sockets, from 3,624 to 5,268, the Paranaguá Container Terminal has the largest reefer yard in South America.