HGT expands Brazil terminal footprint after Aracruz stake approval

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Hanseatic Global Terminals has completed the acquisition of a 50% stake in a greenfield container terminal project in Aracruz, Brazil, giving the Hapag-Lloyd terminal arm a stronger position in one of Latin America’s key port markets.

The transaction, completed on June 3, 2026, establishes Hanseatic Global Terminals Aracruz S.A. as a joint venture between HGT and Imetame Group. The companies will now move ahead with the development and future operation of the Hanseatic Global Terminals Aracruz container terminal in Espírito Santo.

Operations are expected to begin in mid-2028, following the agreement first signed between the two companies in December 2025. Financial terms were not disclosed.

For container lines, forwarders and cargo owners, the project is not just another terminal announcement. It points to a familiar question in Brazilian logistics: where can new capacity be placed so that exporters and importers are not forced to rely only on established gateways?

The Aracruz terminal is planned as both a transshipment hub and a gateway facility for Brazil’s east coast. It will be located in Espírito Santo, a state with growing relevance for foreign trade and industrial cargo flows.

The terminal is designed with a 17 metre draft, 750 metres of quay length and modern container handling equipment. Annual capacity is expected to reach about 1.2 million TEU.

That specification matters. As container vessels grow larger, ports need deeper water, longer berths and faster handling systems. A terminal without those features can become like a narrow doorway in a busy warehouse: cargo still moves, but every delay becomes more visible.

The Aracruz facility is being positioned to handle the newer generation of large vessels and offer another route into Brazil’s import and export market.

Dheeraj Bhatia, CEO of Hanseatic Global Terminals, said Latin America remains a key strategic market for both HGT and Hapag-Lloyd.

“Latin America is a key strategic market for Hanseatic Global Terminals and Hapag-Lloyd. Our partnership with the Imetame Group and the development of the new Hanseatic Global Terminals Aracruz container terminal in Aracruz, Espírito Santo, will strengthen regional connectivity, expand capacity, and provide more efficient access to global markets,” Bhatia said.

The deal also fits HGT’s wider portfolio strategy. The company has said it aims to expand to more than 30 terminals by 2030. Aracruz adds a long term greenfield asset in a region where shipping lines are increasingly looking for more control over port capacity, vessel planning and landside reliability.

For carriers, terminal stakes are not only about owning infrastructure. They can also provide more influence over berth windows, service design and network resilience. In markets where port congestion or capacity constraints can quickly affect schedules, that influence can be commercially important.

For Imetame Group, the joint venture brings an international terminal operator into the development of a major port asset in Espírito Santo.

Etore Selvatici Cavallieri, Chairman of the Imetame Group, said the partnership is intended to support regional opportunities and Brazil’s role in global trade.

“We are proud to partner with Hanseatic Global Terminals in developing the new container terminal in Espírito Santo. Together, we aim to deliver operational excellence, create opportunities for the region, and further strengthen Brazil’s role in global trade,” Cavallieri said.

The completion of the transaction moves the project from agreement to execution. The next phase will focus on development, equipment planning and preparations for operations ahead of the expected mid-2028 launch.

For cargo owners, the practical value will become clear only when the terminal enters service. If Aracruz delivers on its planned depth, berth length and container capacity, it could give shippers another option on Brazil’s east coast and add competitive pressure to existing port gateways.

Brazil’s container market depends heavily on efficient gateways that can connect regional cargo flows with global liner networks. A new 1.2 million TEU terminal in Espírito Santo would add capacity in a location that HGT describes as suitable for both transshipment and gateway traffic.

The project also reflects a wider trend in port investment. Shipping groups are no longer looking only at vessels and routes. They are also investing in the fixed infrastructure that determines whether those routes work smoothly.

In that sense, Aracruz is part of a larger shift. The vessel may still get the attention, but the terminal often decides whether cargo moves on time.