Port of Santos will reach the historic mark of 100 million TEUs handled this year

In 2026, the Port of Santos will reach the historic mark of 100 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent container unit) handled since the beginning of container operations in the complex. The projection reflects the expansion of this type of cargo in the largest port complex in Latin America.

Container operations in Santos began in the 1970s and gained strength in 1981, with the inauguration of Tecon Santos. From then on, Porto began to lead national movement, but did not surpass the mark of 1 million TEUs annually until the beginning of the 2000s.

Over the years, the expansion of infrastructure and the creation of new terminals that operate containers, such as BTP, Ecoporto and DP World Santos changed this scenario, significantly increasing the complex’s capacity. In 2025, the Port of Santos handled 5.9 million TEUs, showing growth of 7.7% compared to 2024. In 2026, the expectation is to surpass the 6 million TEUs mark.

This movement should also gain new momentum with the implementation of Tecon 10, which will increase container operations by 50%. The auction for the future terminal should take place soon.

According to the president of the Santos Port Authority (APS), Anderson Pomini, the new milestone reflects the operational evolution of the port complex. “The Port of Santos shows its ability to meet the growing demand of national logistics, while preparing for the coming decades with the creation of Tecon 10”, he states.

Other records

In addition to the growth in container movement, the Port of Santos also broke a record in total cargo volume. In 2025, 186.4 million tons were moved, an increase of 3.6% compared to the previous record, of 179.8 million tons, recorded in 2024.