Porto Alegre, Brazil
Sea freight in Porto Alegre
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Porto Alegre, via Rio Grande. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Porto Alegre
- AirportPorto Alegre Salgado Filho
POA - SeaportRio Grande
Salgado Filho International Airport (POA) is Porto Alegre's airport and the main air gateway for Rio Grande do Sul. During the severe floods of 2024 the airport was closed for several months, which showed how important alternative routings via São Paulo/Guarulhos (GRU), Viracopos (VCP) or Florianópolis can be. For sea freight, the Port of Rio Grande on the southern coast of the state is the main container port, connected to Porto Alegre by road and by inland waterway through the Lagoa dos Patos.
The BR-116 runs north to Novo Hamburgo and Caxias do Sul and south towards Pelotas and Rio Grande, while the BR-290 heads west to Uruguaiana, the main road crossing into Argentina. The BR-386 leads north-west into the state's agricultural interior. Road links also connect the region with Uruguay. We arrange pick-up and delivery across Greater Porto Alegre, the Sinos Valley and the Serra Gaúcha around Caxias do Sul.
Operational logistics facts for Porto Alegre
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Salgado Filho International Airport (POA) | General cargo, automotive and machinery parts | Air gateway for Rio Grande do Sul |
| Port of Rio Grande | FCL and LCL, agricultural exports | Southern Brazil's main container port |
| Uruguaiana border crossing | Road freight to and from Argentina | Direct road link to Mercosur partners |
| Caxias do Sul and Sinos Valley | Buses, trailers, auto parts, leather and footwear | Inputs and finished goods handled in one shipment file |
Industries in Porto Alegre and how we support them
Rio Grande do Sul combines agribusiness with manufacturing. Caxias do Sul is known for buses, trailers and auto parts, the Sinos Valley around Novo Hamburgo for leather and footwear, and General Motors builds cars in Gravataí. The Triunfo petrochemical complex and agricultural machinery producers add industrial demand, while soy, rice, tobacco and meat are major exports. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with air freight on our own air waybills, Next Flight Out for line-down parts, On-Board Courier for critical items and FCL or LCL via Rio Grande. Customs clearance is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
From the port to your door in Porto Alegre
We arrange collection of the container or the LCL cargo at Rio Grande, customs clearance and delivery to your site in the Porto Alegre area. For exports we organise the pick-up and the delivery to the terminal before the cut-off.
Customs clearance in Brazil
Ziem network
Customs clearance in Brazil is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
For air freight to and from Brazil we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in Brazil need a CNPJ company registration and RADAR authorisation in Siscomex.
Frequently asked questions
Which port is used for sea freight to and from Porto Alegre?
Usually Rio Grande. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.