Manila-based port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is moving ahead with a major expansion of its Rio Brasil Terminal at the Port of Rio de Janeiro, committing R$948 million (approximately $175 million) to significantly boost capacity and modernise operations.
The investment programme, scheduled to run from 2025 to 2029, will increase the terminal’s annual capacity by more than 70%, from 440,000 teu to 750,000 teu. The expansion will strengthen the port’s role as a strategic logistics gateway serving Brazil’s Southeast and Midwest regions.
Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, said the project highlights the government’s emphasis on attracting private investment to upgrade and expand the national port system. Of the total investment, around R$414 million will be directed toward infrastructure works, while R$533 million will be allocated for new equipment.
Planned upgrades include the expansion and unification of container yards, redesigned internal layouts to improve cargo flows, the installation of new ship-to-shore and yard handling equipment, and modernisation of electrical and utility systems. ICTSI will also deploy advanced automation, access control and cargo management systems, while upgrading facilities to meet Brazilian customs requirements.
Costa Filho noted that the expansion could eventually lift capacity beyond 1.2 million teu and will contribute to job creation and income generation in the region.
Once upgraded, the terminal will be capable of handling new panamax and post-panamax vessels, including ships up to 366 metres in length and capacities exceeding 13,000 teu. The first two new cranes are expected to arrive by mid-2026 and will be designed to serve vessels of up to 400 metres.
ICTSI Rio Brasil Terminal CEO Roberto Lopes said the expansion will help ease congestion at Santos, Brazil’s busiest port, by redistributing container flows. He added that the project complements ICTSI’s broader logistics investments in Brazil, including more than R$190 million already invested in the Rio–Minas and Rio–Suzano corridors, with a strong emphasis on rail connectivity.
With additional cranes and yard space coming online from 2026, ICTSI has already begun marketing the new capacity. Full implementation is expected to see utilisation stabilise at around 75% by 2029–2030, improving predictability, reducing vessel waiting times and lowering overall logistics costs. ICTSI Vice President for the Americas, Anders Kjeldsen, said the expansion reflects the group’s long-term commitment to Brazil. ICTSI currently operates 34 terminals across 20 countries worldwide.