Brazil's Car Imports Double, Concentrating in Three Ports

Automobile imports into Brazil doubled in the first nine months of 2026, totaling 528,300 passenger vehicles, a 103.8% increase compared to the same period in 2025, according to a survey by Logcomex. The growth was concentrated in the ports of Vitória, Paranaguá and Salvador, which together accounted for 74.7% of the imported vehicles surveyed, compared to 22.4% in 2022, while the combined share of Santos and Rio de Janeiro fell from 52.4% to 11.3% over the same period.

Vitória led imports with 226,100 vehicles, equivalent to 42.8% of the total analyzed. Paranaguá ranked second with 88,300 units, an increase of 608.8% compared to 2025, and Salvador was third with 80,300 automobiles, a year-on-year jump of 797%. The value of the operations reached US$8.57 billion, with an increase that Transporte Moderno put at 83.3%.

The shift in port distribution is linked to the rise of Chinese vehicles, which went from representing 9.9% of surveyed imports in 2022 to 80.3% in 2026, with 424,200 units, while Argentina's share fell from 65.9% to 6.8% over the same period. Electric and hybrid models accounted for 80.4% of imported units, compared to 17.4% in 2022; pure electric vehicles totaled 195,100 units and plug-in hybrids represented 31.1% of the total. According to Helmuth Hofstatter, CEO of Logcomex, the change in vehicle origin requires a review of shipping routes, discharge points, and storage and distribution structures.

According to Portos do Paraná, the Paraná port took the national lead in vehicle movement during September, with 24,200 units loaded and unloaded, and accumulated 131,400 vehicles between January and September, surpassing the total for all of 2025, which had been 106,700 units. On October 26, the vessel Grande Istanbul arrived at Paranaguá, carrying out the largest discharge of electric and hybrid vehicles in the port's history, with 6,030 units expected, amid a string of vessel arrivals carrying large volumes of cars from Asia.

Since August, new Chinese brands such as Omoda, Jaecoo, GWM, Haval and Jetour began operating at Paranaguá, joining Audi, Renault, Fiat, GM, Volkswagen and Geely. Portos do Paraná's CEO, Luiz Fernando Garcia, attributed the growth to infrastructure investments made since 2020, including the bidding process for a new vehicle terminal. The port projects closing 2026 with close to 200,000 vehicles handled, which would surpass the historic record of 135,200 units set in 2019.