South American ports show mixed cargo trends in 2026

In Chile's Tarapacá region, the National Institute of Statistics reported that cargo mobilised at the ports in June 2026 totaled 891,805 tonnes, an 8.2% decline over the previous year. Export‑related movements fell 17% year‑on‑year, while cabotage surged 120.4% and third‑party transit rose 9.1%. Overall cargo handling for the first six months of the year was up 0.3% compared with the same period in 2025.

Meanwhile, Brazil’s major ports recorded strong growth in the first half of 2026. Public ports in Bahia, managed by the Companhia das Docas do Estado da Bahia (Codeba), saw cargo volumes increase 22.49% year‑on‑year, with the Port of Salvador handling 3.79 million tonnes, up 20.94%. Imports rose 31.84% and exports 2.47% at Bahia ports. The Port of Itajaí (Santa Catarina) handled 2.6 million tonnes, a 40% increase over the same period in 2025. Other ports such as Santos, Suape, Itaqui, Paranaguá and Antonina also contributed to the upward trend.