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2 clusters · 3 sources · 5 days · First seen · Last updated

Brazil maritime and inland waterway logistics

Overview

Recent data highlights a complex landscape for Brazil’s transport sectors. A study by Pezco Economics, commissioned by the National Confederation of Transport (CNT), indicates that the country utilizes only 20,400 kilometers of the 41,700 kilometers of navigable waterways planned in the National Transport Plan. Obstacles to expanding fluvial logistics include infrastructure limitations, maintenance issues, fragmented governance, regulatory insecurity, and financing difficulties. However, inland waterway cargo transport grew by 19.7% in 2025, reaching 91.3 million tons.

In the maritime sector, Brazil’s cabotage shipping volume increased by 3% during the third quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. This growth was largely driven by an 8.2% rise in feeder cargo, which reached 245,467 TEUs. While domestic cargo saw a 1.9% contraction, Mercosul cargo transport increased by 14%.

Entities

Brazil · Mercosul · Luis Resano · National Waterway Transportation Agency · Brazilian Association of Cabotage Shipowners

Timeline

  1. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Brazil cabotage shipping grows 3% in third quarter 2026

    Brazil's cabotage shipping grew 3% in Q3 2026, driven by an 8.2% rise in feeder cargo for international trade, despite a slight dip in domestic cargo volumes.

  2. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Brazil utilizes only 49% of planned inland waterway network

    A CNT study shows Brazil uses only 49% of its planned inland waterways due to infrastructure and regulatory hurdles, despite a 19.7% increase in cargo volume in 2025.

Sources

sinaval.org.br · transportemoderno.com.br · viagemegastronomia.com.br