DP World has renewed its partnership with German shipping line Hapag-Lloyd for another ten years, extending their collaboration at the Port of Santos, Brazil's largest container terminal. The new agreement continues a partnership that began in 2014, ensuring Hapag-Lloyd vessels will keep calling at DP World's multipurpose terminal through the next decade.
The contract renewal coincides with DP World's US$190 million terminal expansion project in Santos. The project will extend the quay length to 1,290 metres and increase annual handling capacity to 1.7 million TEU by 2026. In 2024, DP World handled a record 1.25 million TEU at the port, representing a 14% year-on-year increase.
© DP World
According to DP World, the expansion will enable the terminal to accommodate larger vessels and improve turnaround efficiency for shipping lines such as Hapag-Lloyd. Earlier in 2025, DP World also signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Maersk to expand container services in Brazil, reflecting its strategy to secure long-term partnerships with global carriers.
"This renewal highlights the strength of our partnership and the key role Santos plays as a gateway for Brazilian trade," said Fabio Siccherino, CEO of DP World in Brazil. "With our upcoming expansion and new equipment, we're ensuring we can meet growing demand while delivering reliability, efficiency, and sustainability."
Hapag-Lloyd's senior vice president for Brazil, Luigi Ferrini, said the new contract "reinforces our commitment to the Brazilian market and strengthens our global partnership with DP World," adding that it would help improve service quality for customers in the region.
DP World's expansion in Santos aligns with Brazil's broader goal of increasing trade capacity and reducing logistics bottlenecks at key ports. The upgrades at the terminal are expected to support higher container volumes from agricultural exports, including fruit and other perishable goods, by improving port connectivity and cold-chain logistics capacity.
Source: Splash
