APM Terminals Pecém Sets New Record, Handling More Than 70,000 TEUs in August
Terminal achieved the highest monthly throughput in its operating history
APM Terminals Pecém closed August with the highest monthly volume ever handled since the start of its operations. The terminal processed 70,964 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), establishing a new milestone in its history.
The result represents a 26% increase compared to July 2026, when 56,242 TEUs were handled, and a 12% increase over August 2025, when throughput reached 63,546 TEUs. The performance surpassed the terminal’s previous record, set in October 2025, when 70,456 TEUs were handled. Considering the terminal’s annual capacity of approximately 700,000 TEUs, August’s volume accounted for around 10% of its total annual capacity concentrated in a single month, highlighting its ability to accommodate demand peaks while maintaining operational reliability.
August’s growth was driven primarily by two factors: the beginning of the Northeast Brazil fruit export season and increased transshipment volumes diverted from other ports that experienced operational constraints during the period.
With the start of the export season, the terminal recorded a significant increase in the handling of refrigerated containers supporting the fruit export supply chain. The period also marked the first vessel calls of the 2026 NWC service, which connects Northeast Brazil to key Northern European markets, as well as continued growth in the TANGO service, which serves international trade routes and traditionally records higher volumes during the second half of the year.
Another highlight of the month was the servicing of 42 vessels. Among them was the MSC Natasha XIII, which handled approximately 3,800 TEUs during a single port call, further demonstrating the terminal’s operational capabilities.
“APM Terminals Pecém has become a vital link in the logistics and foreign trade network of Northeast Brazil. Achieving a new record demonstrates our ability to support the region’s economic growth while providing a safe and reliable operation for our customers. This result reinforces the terminal’s strategic role as a key logistics platform for Brazil’s North and Northeast regions,” said Daniel Rose, Managing Director of APM Terminals Pecém and Suape.
According to Carolina Brown, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of APM Terminals Pecém and Suape, the result reinforces Pecém’s growing importance within supply chains serving Brazil’s North and Northeast regions.
“This new record reflects the growth of our customers and the terminal’s ability to keep pace with that evolution by providing the infrastructure, connectivity, and service levels required by the market,” she said.
To support continued growth, APM Terminals Pecém has implemented strategies focused on continuous operational efficiency improvements, including close monitoring and quality control of terminal operations. Alignment across planning, execution, and decision-making processes enabled the terminal to accommodate volumes significantly higher than originally forecast.
This performance further positions APM Terminals Pecém as one of the leading logistics hubs in Brazil’s North and Northeast regions, connecting the state of Ceará to key international markets while supporting the logistics integration of the Manaus Free Trade Zone. The terminal expects cargo volumes to continue growing in the coming months, primarily driven by the export season.