The line-up of vessels to load sugar in Brazil's ports decreased to 24 from 25 a week ago as harvesting slowed in the north-east, shipping agent Williams said Thursday.
In a weekly report, Williams said 12 vessels were lined up in the port of Maceio and three in Recife, compared with 14 and four last week, respectively. In the southern port of Santos, there were eight, up from seven.
Although Brazil's north-east cane crop harvest is starting to wind down, sugar shipments from Maceio and Recife remain brisk. Santos also is still active though harvesting of a record center-south cane crop finished at the end of November.
Santos accounted for 32 percent of sugar tonnage being loaded in Brazilian ports, while Maceio accounted for 53 percent and Recife for 15 percent, the same as last week.