São Paulo – The United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) is expanding its presence in the South American market. The company has been operating in the region for 20 years already, but now started to offer more services through a partnership with German company Hamburg Süd. In addition to this, UASC is also opening new regional offices and has a joint-venture with company Ultramar, of maritime and port services.
The company opened a new office in Uruguay and until the end of the year will have opened others in Brazil and Argentina. This Tuesday (5), the company’s vice-president of Sales and Marketing, Eric Williams, told ANBA that UASC is betting on relationships as their distinctive feature to expand in the region. The company is attending the logistics fair Intermodal being held in the city of São Paulo.
“We have been here for a couple years already, but now we want to be closer and come on stronger. We offer a high-quality service, with a focus on the client’s demand”, he said. “To expand this market is the result of the development of our company. We want to be stronger in South America”, said the executive. A UASC is formed by governments and companies of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq and Kuwait, where it is based. The company has 185 offices in several cities throughout the world.
Through the partnership with Hamburg Süd, products that have the South America as their final destination are carried by UASC up to a port in Europe or Africa. From there until the final destination, it’s Hamburg Süd that takes responsibility for the transport. Meanwhile, a product that leaves South America with Africa or Asia as final destination will be carried until an African or European port by Hamburg Süd. Then, it’s UASC that takes over the transport.
In South America, UASC also has its own ship in operation. “We are ready to meet the demand of dry cargo and also refrigerated, for meat and fruits”, he said, as an example of the products with which the company works in the region.
He acknowledges that the moment faced by the Brazilian economy is a delicate one, but said that this doesn’t affect UASC’s plans. “It’s challenging, but our strategy is long-term and we believe in the region’s potential. It could take us longer in getting the planned return, we are aware of this”, he said.
The creation of a direct ship route between South America and the Arab world and joint-ventures in the transportation and logistics areas between companies from both regions were a couple of the main topics of the business forum that took place simultaneously to the 4th Summit of South American-Arab Countries (ASPA), in November 2015, in Saudi Arabia. The topic will again be discussed at the South America-Arab Countries Conference on Transportation and Logistics, slated for April 13 and 14, in Cairo, Egypt’s capital.
Oman
The Sohar port and free trade zone in Oman are also participating of Intermodal, in a partnership with the Rotterdam Port, Hollande, and Porto Central, in Vitória, Espírito Santo state. The sales executive manager, Marc Evertse, said that the port’s goal in the exhibition is to attract foodstuff exporters.
“Brazil has very large businesses in this sector and they’re expanding. We have a strategic location that favors distribution. Now that the Iran market is opening up, to be in Sohar is a great opportunity to those exporting to Iran, among other Middle East destinations that are located a couple of kilometers afar”, he said. The Brazilian mining company Vale has a plant in the region that manufactures iron ore pellets that are exported to Asia.
Evertse also pointed out Brazil’s economic crisis. He emphasized, however, that the foodstuff sector is still expanding. “Vale is having difficulties and it’s a difficult moment also due to low prices of commodities. But Brazil is strong in the foodstuff sector, and this is a high consumption area and that is expanding strongly in the Arab countries”, he said. From Oman, also attending the fair, are the free trade zone and port of Duqm.
Intermodal South America
Transamérica Expo Center
April 5 to 7, 1 pm to 9 pm
Information: http://www.intermodal.com.br
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
