Operational efficiency in air cargo terminals A comparative study between Viracopos and Guarulhos in import operations

Abstract

Airport logistics plays a strategic role in Brazil’s foreign trade by meeting the growing demand for agility and reliability in cargo transportation. Viracopos (VCP) and Guarulhos (GRU) airports, the country’s main import terminals, concentrate receiving, storage, and customs clearance operations, handling more than half of Brazil’s air cargo. This study aims to identify the factors that differentiate operational efficiency between these two terminals, analyzed across five pillars: infrastructure, customs management, logistics costs, cargo volume, and operational bottlenecks. Using an exploratory and bibliographic methodology, this research provides a consistent comparative analysis of the main factors influencing their logistics performance. The results indicate that, although Guarulhos handles a larger cargo volume, Viracopos stands out for its modern infrastructure, technological integration, and faster customs clearance, achieving greater predictability and lower operational costs.