EN 
PT_BR 
The increased draft at the Port of Paranaguá is one of the main reasons for the first record registered in the month of December. The ship MV Minoan Pioneer was the vessel that, in the first week of December, established the new milestone for corn handling in the Eastern Export Corridor: 77,000 tons shipped.
Draft is the distance between the water's surface and the deepest point of the vessel, the keel. The greater the draft, the greater the cargo capacity.
The availability of a deeper draft favors the overall productivity of the Port of Paranaguá, which this year will once again break its own record for loading and unloading cargo. “Our goal is to receive increasingly larger ships that can load more cargo, while maintaining excellence in service. This record proves that we are on the right track,” stated the CEO of Portos do Paraná, Luiz Fernando Garcia.
Photos: Claudio Neves
In September 2025, the operational draft of berths designated for solid bulk cargo—including corn and soybeans—at the Port of Paranaguá increased from 13.1 m to 13.3 m. With this 20-centimeter increase, each vessel can transport up to 1,500 tons more than the previous mark. “The possibility of more heavily loaded ships, combined with our operational efficiency, consolidates the Port of Paranaguá as a strategic point for grain exports, contributing to the competitiveness of Brazilian agribusiness in the international market,” highlighted Gabriel Vieira, Director of Port Operations at Portos do Paraná.
Corn was the commodity that saw the greatest increase in productivity at Paraná's ports between January and November of this year.In the accumulated total for 2025, 4,571,970 tons were moved, an increase of 351% compared to the same period in 2024 (1,013,174 tons). Among the factors that boosted growth in the export corridor are the record harvest and higher international demand.
The high rate recorded in Paranaguá contrasts with the national performance, where exports of the product do not follow the same trend. Brazil is expected to close 2025 with more than 140 million tons harvested, but most of it was absorbed by the domestic market, mainly for ethanol production. About 40 million tons are destined for export — most of it shipped from Paranaguá. Countries in the Middle East and Asia are among the main buyers.
Access channel
The results achieved in corn shipments, facilitated by the improved draft, are just a demonstration of what is to come at the Port of Paranaguá with the implementation of the Access Channel concession.
With the auction held in October of this year at B3, the Canal da Galheta Dragagem Consortium — formed by the companies FTS Participações Societárias SA, Deme Concessions NV and Deme Dredging NV — is expected to make investments of R$1.2 billion in the first five years of the concession.
Among the obligations is the expansion and deepening of the canal, allowing for an increase in draft to 15.5 meters. This increase of more than two meters represents an additional 14,000 tons of solid vegetable bulk cargo or 1,000 containers on a single ship. The concessionaire will also be responsible for maintaining the canal, which is 34.5 km long.
