APM Terminals (APMT) Pecém, located in Ceará, Brazil, handled 325,478 TEUs in the first half of 2025 — a 38 per cent increase from 235,148 TEUs in the same period last year.
The growth also reflects broader economic trends, as Ceará’s industrial output rose 9.2 per cent in Q1 2025, according to Brazil’s Monthly Industrial Survey (PIM/IBGE).
The terminal supports the local production chain and facilitates growing international trade, especially through its direct maritime route to Asia.
Daniel Rose, CEO of APM Terminals Suape and Pecém, said: “These pillars are essential to meet rising demand and to strengthen the logistics landscape in the Northeast region, connecting Brazil to the world via the new direct maritime route to Asia.”
Total port throughput also rose to 6.67 million tonnes in H1 2025, a 12.4 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
APMT has secured a 15-year extension of its operating licence at the Port of Pecém, valid until 2049.
The terminal operator also confirmed a BRL 200 million ($36 million) investment plan, focused on modernisation, capacity growth, and emissions reduction.
Terminal expansion is scheduled for completion by 2029, including the construction of a new 350-metre berth, which will extend the quay from 600 to 800 linear metres.
Once complete, the terminal’s annual handling capacity is expected to rise from 650,000 to 850,000 TEUs, according to Rose.
Last month, RINA secured a World Bank-backed contract to conduct a water assessment supporting Brazil’s low-carbon industrial transition at the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex in Ceará.
