Brazil’s shipbuilding, inland and coastal shipping sectors closed 2025 with a sharp increase in funding from the Merchant Marine Fund (FMM). Total investments reached R$3.85 billion, up 107.4% from the previous year, according to official figures. Spending was largely concentrated on new vessel construction and upgrades to port infrastructure.
Of the total invested, shipbuilding accounted for the largest share, with R$2.45 billion. Another R$361 million was allocated to port and waterway infrastructure projects, while R$70.8 million was used to finance shipyard modernization. The remaining R$959.3 million in the annual balance was directed to reimbursements to Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service.
Over the course of the year, the fund’s board approved 771 projects, creating a pipeline of potential financing totaling R$31.8 billion. Of those, 152 projects moved into the contracting phase, formalizing R$7.7 billion that is already under execution. The Ministry of Ports and Airports estimates that these projects will generate about 15,400 direct jobs, strengthening supply chains in states that rely heavily on maritime and river logistics.
Regional allocation and river logistics
Brazil’s North region stood out by absorbing 53% of the resources allocated through earmarked accounts. The priority reflects the strategic role of waterways in supplying and integrating the Amazon region, where river transport remains the primary mode of mobility. While the North led the use of earmarked funding, direct financing was more in demand in the South and Southeast, in line with the concentration of industrial and port projects in those regions.
According to the National Secretariat for Waterways and Navigation, the 2025 results underscore the link between more efficient cargo transport and stronger local economies, particularly in supporting the flow of production in the North and Northeast.
Outlook for 2026: focus on port infrastructure
The outlook for 2026 points to continued expansion, with budget planning that could reach R$34 billion in new approvals. The goal is to sustain fleet renewal and formalize around R$8 billion in short-term contracts.
The sector’s agenda for early 2026 already includes a meeting of the fund’s board dedicated exclusively to port infrastructure. The FMM plans to allocate up to R$4.8 billion to projects aimed at modernizing Brazilian ports and improving efficiency, with the objective of easing logistics bottlenecks and boosting the competitiveness of waterborne transport nationwide.
Fonte: MPOR
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