Portonave enables cold storage for the South Korean market

Iceport, the first and only cold storage facility located in a port terminal in Brazil, has obtained approval to store animal‑origin commodities from South Korea. To achieve this milestone, the company underwent a rigorous process of quality and compliance audits conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) and by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of South Korea (APQA). This recognition demonstrates its commitment to international standards and enables new business opportunities.

Last year, the facility recorded a 12% increase in the volume of temperature‑controlled commodities compared to 2024 – the result of operational efficiency, logistics integration, and certifications and authorizations that attest to the quality of its operations.

The company is already authorized to store products from several international markets, such as South Africa, Argentina, Canada, Chile, the United States, the Russian Federation, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Paraguay, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Uruguay, among other countries without specific requirements. It is also authorized to handle pharmaceuticals – with an area exclusively designed for this segment – and Halal products, in compliance with Islamic principles.

As a strategic differentiator, the logistics center specializing in temperature‑controlled storage operates in synergy with Portonave, ensuring greater efficiency in integrated operations. Iceport’s infrastructure offers a capacity of 280 movements per hour in its fully automated pallet‑storage system.

Cargo integrity is a constant commitment in all operations. The company maintains the FSSC 22000 certification, one of the most rigorous international food‑safety standards recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). In addition, it holds the Quality Assurance Program (PGQ), which strengthens the food‑safety culture and ensures best practices.

In 2025, poultry accounted for 60% of the handling, followed by vegetables (25%), beef (8%), and pork (7%). In the last quarter of 2025, Iceport was authorized to receive beef and pork from the United States, as well as beef from Chile, due to the reliability of its operations.

Its service portfolio includes automated and conventional storage, cross‑docking for greater logistics agility, stuffing and container unitization, inventory management and control, tallying with detailed stock reports, a depot for monitoring and connecting reefer plugs (temperature‑controlled containers), picking operations according to customer demand, cold‑recovery services to reestablish optimal cargo temperature, among others.

The company is located in Navegantes, on the North Coast of Santa Catarina, and began operations in 2007 as Brazil’s first private port terminal. In the national ranking for 2025, Portonave is the 4th largest in long‑haul full‑container handling, with a 9% market share, according to Datamar. The company is certified by the Instituto Ibero‑Brasileiro de Relacionamento com o Cliente (IBRC) as having the most satisfied customers in Brazil in the refrigerated‑cargo segment. It currently generates 1,300 direct and 5,500 indirect jobs.