São Paulo, Brazil
Sea freight in São Paulo
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in São Paulo, via Port of Santos. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in São Paulo
- AirportGuarulhos
GRU - AirportViracopos
VCP - SeaportPort of Santos
São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), north-east of the city, is Brazil's largest airport and its main international air cargo gateway, with a large cargo terminal handling imports, exports and temperature-sensitive goods. Viracopos International Airport (VCP) in Campinas, north-west of São Paulo, is the second major cargo airport and handles a high share of imports. Congonhas (CGH) serves domestic passenger traffic. For sea freight, the Port of Santos on the coast below the city is Latin America's largest container port and handles most of São Paulo state's trade.
The Anchieta and Imigrantes highways descend the Serra do Mar to the Port of Santos, while the Rodoanel Mário Covas ring road lets trucks bypass the city. The Presidente Dutra highway runs to Rio de Janeiro, the Bandeirantes and Anhanguera highways to Campinas and the interior, and the Castello Branco west to Sorocaba. MRS Logística freight rail connects the metropolitan area with Santos. We arrange pick-up and delivery across Greater São Paulo, including the ABC region and Guarulhos.
Operational logistics facts for São Paulo
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) | General cargo, pharma, electronics, Next Flight Out | Brazil's largest air cargo gateway with wide international airline choice |
| Port of Santos | FCL and LCL to and from Europe, Asia and the Americas | Latin America's largest container port, linked to São Paulo by highway and rail |
| ABC region industrial belt | Automotive, machinery, chemicals | Inbound parts and machinery cleared in one shipment file |
| Viracopos International Airport (VCP) | Import-oriented air cargo | Second major cargo airport within road distance of the city |
Industries in São Paulo and how we support them
Greater São Paulo is Brazil's economic centre. The ABC region, with Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo and São Caetano do Sul, hosts car and truck plants and their suppliers, while machinery, electrical equipment, chemicals and pharmaceuticals are produced across the metropolitan area. It is also the country's largest market for consumer goods and electronics. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with air freight on our own air waybills via GRU and VCP, Next Flight Out for production-critical parts, On-Board Courier for hand-carried items and FCL or LCL via Santos. 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 São Paulo
We arrange collection of the container or the LCL cargo at Port of Santos, customs clearance and delivery to your site in the São Paulo 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 São Paulo?
Usually Port of Santos. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.