The presence of Portuguese ports at Intermodal South America 2026, held between April 14 and 16, in the Anhembi District, São Paulo, reinforced the growing importance of logistics and trade relations between Brazil and Europe. The fair, considered the largest in Latin America in the sectors of transport, logistics and foreign trade, brought together more than 700 brands and representatives from approximately 90 countries.
Among the international highlights, Leixões Port took center stage by joining the delegation of the Association of Portuguese Ports (APP), alongside the ports of Lisbon, Setúbal, Sines and Aveiro. The joint participation aimed to expand business, attract new partners and consolidate the competitive positioning of Portuguese ports in global markets, with special attention to Brazil.
In an interview given to Jornal Portuário, today featured on the Integration 5.0 Program, representatives of the Portuguese delegation highlighted that the moment is strategic, especially given the strengthening of negotiations between Mercosur and the European Union.
In the case of Leixões, the bet is clear: to become one of the main gateways for the flow of merchandise between Europe and the South American market.
Located in the metropolitan region of Porto, Leixões is today one of Portugal's most relevant logistics hubs, handling containerized cargo, bulk, general cargo and cruises. Its privileged geographic position and proximity to the industrial fabric of northern Portugal make it a central piece for European exports.
During its participation at Intermodal, the port administration reinforced its infrastructure expansion plan, with estimated investment of 1 billion euros over the next 10 years, aimed at modernizing terminals and expanding operational capacity.
The most emblematic project is the expansion of the container terminal, which is expected to increase current capacity of approximately 700,000 TEUs to around 1.4 million TEUs, practically doubling cargo handling.
The move is viewed by the market as a decisive step to prepare Portugal for the new cycle of international trade.
Beyond the commercial agenda, Leixões' presence in Brazil carried significant institutional weight. Industry sources point out that bilateral meetings with logistics operators, shipowners and Brazilian port representatives opened space for future partnerships linked to container flows, industrialized products, food and agricultural commodities.
For Brazil, the closer ties with Portuguese ports represent a strategic opportunity to expand export routes to Europe, especially in sectors such as coffee, cellulose, animal protein, chemicals and manufactured goods.
Portuguese participation at Intermodal 2026 also conveys a clear message to the market: Portugal's ports want to expand their presence in South America and see Brazil as a priority partner for the coming years.
Behind the scenes at the event, Leixões was cited by specialists as one of the European terminals most attentive to the new redesign of global supply chains, especially following pressure for more efficient, sustainable and resilient routes.
For the Brazilian port sector, the presence of the Portuguese port at last week's fair reinforces the advancement of an increasingly integrated international agenda, in which Santos, Suape, Rio de Janeiro and Portuguese ports can take on a complementary role in connecting the continents.
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