Jan 23, 2023

Largest Vessel Carrying Fertilizer Unloads at Port of Paranagua

Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.

The Port of Paranagua is the main port of entry for fertilizers imported into Brazil and the port recently unloaded the largest vessel of fertilizers to ever dock at the port. The vessel MV Red Marlin unloaded 73,310 tons of ammonia sulfate from the Chines port of Tianjin. The exporting company was Yunnan, which is represented in Brazil by Fertiborker. The prior record was the vessel Lord Byron which unloaded 64,777 tons of fertilizers in July of 2022.

The ports of Paranagua accounted for 27.5% of Brazil's fertilizer imports in 2022. The ports of Paranagua and Antonina imported almost 10 million tons of fertilizers in 2022. The fertilizer storage capacity at the two ports is more than three million tons.

Parana has invested heavily in recent years expanding the capacity at both the Port of Paranagua and the Port of Antonina. According to the port director, the ports can receive larger vessels because of investments in dredging, new docks, expanded piers, and new machinery.

The vessel MV Red Marlin is 229 meters long and 38 meters wide with a capacity of 85,000 tons.