International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) is ramping up its Brazil operations as its Rio Brasil Terminal (RBT) at the Port of Rio de Janeiro receives two new quay cranes, a move that strengthens its long-term expansion and modernization drive.
The additional equipment is expected to significantly boost vessel-handling efficiency, improve berth productivity, and support rising cargo volumes as global shipping lines deploy increasingly larger container vessels.
The cranes are designed to service ships up to 400 meters in length with capacities of as much as 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), enabling faster turnaround times and more optimized berth utilization.
RBT chief executive officer Roberto Lopes said the new assets will enhance operational efficiency and service quality, adding that the expansion forms part of a broader modernization program set for completion in 2029.
With the latest delivery, the terminal now operates six quay cranes, strengthening its position to handle growing traffic along South America’s east coast, where shipping demand has been rising alongside stronger regional trade activity since 2023.
To keep pace, RBT is executing a wider infrastructure upgrade that includes yard expansion, reconfiguration of cargo flow systems, and the integration of automation and advanced handling technologies.
Once completed, the project is expected to lift the terminal’s annual capacity to 750,000 TEUs, reinforcing its role as a key logistics gateway for Brazil’s southwest and midwestern industrial corridors while helping ease congestion across the national port network.
The expansion underscores ICTSI’s broader strategy of scaling global terminal assets in line with shifting trade routes and the continued upsizing of container vessels worldwide.
