In August 2023, APM Terminals Pecém, the primary operator of the Port of Pecém in the metropolitan area of Fortaleza, Brazil, achieved a milestone by surpassing the mark of 23,000 containers handled within a single month for the first time.
This upward trajectory continued, with October and December 2023 witnessing 32,058 and 32,466 moves respectively, marking the first months, in which container moves exceeded 32,000. Throughout the year, a total of precisely 283,079 containers were handled—an average of 23,589 per month.
Of this total, coastal movements accounted for 53%, while long-haul movements constituted 47%. This represents the best annual performance ever recorded in the 21-year history of APM Terminals’ operations at the Port of Pecém.
“The latest results from the harvest for January (25,612 moves) and February (20,455 moves) reinforce the evolution started in 2023 and confirm the growth trend for 2024. We are excited about the contribution we are making to Brazilian agribusiness,” concluded Daniel Rose.
During the 2023/2024 harvest period, APM Terminals Pecém experienced an 8% increase in year-on-year growth.
Particularly noteworthy were the remarkable gains observed in the last two months of the season, with January recording a 29% rise and February seeing a 15% surge.
Referring to the record volumes already achieved at the end of 2023, Daniel Rose, CEO of APM Terminals Pecém commented, “In 2023, APM Terminals Pecém witnessed a significant year marked by remarkable growth. We achieved a record number of container movements at the end of last year, representing an increase of approximately 15% compared to the previous year. This achievement is also explained by the fact that we have regained a significant portion of the fruit export market in Brazil.”
The fruit export service commenced in August of the previous year, involving the transportation of containers filled with various fruits such as melons, watermelons, mangoes, and grapes originating from Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, and Ceará—the primary region for the production and exportation of fresh tropical fruits in Brazil.
