Photo: Senado Agency
Brazilian cabotage showed signs of recovery in the second quarter of 2026. According to a survey by the Brazilian Association of Cabotage Shipowners (ABAC), cargo movement in cabotage (domestic + feeder – Ships that distribute cargo between large concentrating ports and secondary ports) grew 5.6% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The result was driven by the performance of domestic transport, which increased 4.2%, and by the feeder segment, responsible for supplying large ports, which registered growth of 6.9%, indicating a recovery in relation to the performance observed in the previous quarter.
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Another highlight was transport within the scope of Mercosur, which showed growth of 87% in the second quarter. Although it still represents a relatively small volume of cargo, the result confirms the resumption of operations in this market.
In the first half of the year, cabotage (domestic + feeder) recorded growth of 0.9%. The performance was mainly supported by domestic transport, which grew 6.1%, offsetting the 3.6% decline in the feeder segment.
Considering all operations carried out by Companies associated with ABAC, growth was 9.5% in the second quarter and 4.5% in the semester.
According to Luis Fernando Resano, Executive Director of ABAC, “the growth of domestic transport demonstrates that cabotage continues to gain space in the Brazilian logistics matrix, offering an increasingly efficient, safe and sustainable solution.” For Resano, “the numbers demonstrate the resilience of cabotage and reinforce the importance of the mode for national logistics”.
