Santos – June 30, 2025
At dawn, a line of trucks waits outside Warehouse 31 in Santos. Each one carries green coffee beans from inland farms, harvested just days ago, destined for Europe, North America, or Asia. But many will sit idle for hours, sometimes more. The port is full. The containers are late. The berths are booked.
“We’re moving as fast as we can, but there’s no more slack in the system,” says Eduardo Maciel, a terminal supervisor with over 20 years at Brazil’s largest port.
As the 2025 coffee harvest hits its peak, Brazil’s export logistics—normally agile during these months—have begun to stall. The causes are varied: record-high yields, tight container availability, and a shortage of port labor during overlapping shifts. But the impact is direct. Ships are delayed. Contracts risk penalties. And margins shrink under the weight of demurrage fees.
Coffee Outpaces Infrastructure
Brazil remains the world’s top coffee exporter, and this year’s harvest is one of the biggest in a decade. But exporters say Santos is close to saturation. Warehouses are overbooked. Reefer plug points are limited. And outbound slots with major ocean carriers are increasingly hard to secure.
“It’s not just about getting beans to the port,” says Marisa Azevedo, export director at a São Paulo-based cooperative. “It’s about getting them out before the window closes.”
A Push Toward Alternative Corridors
In response, some exporters are testing alternatives. Smaller ports like Paranaguá and Itajaí are seeing a modest uptick in coffee-related bookings. But their infrastructure isn’t built for high-volume agricultural freight, and rail links to those ports remain underdeveloped.
Others are opting to store cargo temporarily in bonded warehouses until space reopens in Santos, a solution that carries both cost and risk if quality degrades.
Long-Term Outlook
The Brazilian government has announced fast-track funding for port infrastructure upgrades, including automation at key terminals and expanded container yards. But those improvements won’t arrive in time for this harvest.
For now, exporters are doing what they can: adjusting schedules, negotiating new windows, and hoping the ships can catch up before the next storm.
