The Port of Santos is the main gateway for ethanol exports. In 2020, Brazil exported 2.67 billion liters of ethanol, with 86% leaving from Santos. Copersucar, the world leader in sugar and ethanol trades, shipped more than 700 million liters during the 2019/20 crop. Although most of the ethanol production is for the domestic market, Brazil also supplies the international ethanol market, including the state of California in the United States. Brazilian hydrous ethanol, on the other hand, is traditionally consumed by Asian countries for industrial purposes, such as the production of gel hand sanitizers, cosmetics and beverages. Cabotage operations are also carried out in the Port of Santos, and its main destination is the northeast region of Brazil, where ethanol production does not meet demand. Due to the distance, sea freight is an economical and efficient alternative for transporting products from the mills nearby the state of São Paulo.
Sources: Copersucar/Notícias Agrícolas (*Translated by Ia Niani)