São Paulo – Adequate packaging, properly filled-out documents and a good shipping company are crucial so that your cargo reaches its destination in one piece and in a timely manner. Although it sounds bureaucratic, attention to transportation procedures is a crucial step in being a successful exporter. Said procedures were discussed during the International Logistics workshop hosted by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce this Wednesday (30th) in São Paulo.
“Often, a product must comply with the regulations not only of the source and destination countries, but also of those it will be flown over through. Cargo such as weapons, for instance, cannot be flown over certain countries,” explained Dener Sousa, the Cargo manager for South America with Emirates SkyCargo, the shipping arm of Dubai’s Emirates Airline.
Sousa also stressed the fact that the shipping company is only liable for product defects during the actual shipping. Therefore, exporters must pay close attention to the state the items are in at the time of unloading in order to prevent future problems.
“When you receive cargo from abroad, it is important that you check for damage at the airport,” the executive said. He also emphasized the importance of correctly filling out all documents relating to the shipment, because they ensure the correct handling of the goods.
The packaging is another relevant aspect of the export process. “Packaging composition is extremely important, I see lots of products damaged as a result of inadequate packaging,” Sousa said.
He also noted that companies must be aware that often the packaging that’s used in domestic transportation cannot be used internationally. “I have seen firearms being carried in cardboard boxes,” he claimed.
The Emirates SkyCargo manager pondered that although transportation costs are often a determining factor in choosing a shipping company, one must consider whether one’s deadline and handling care needs can be met by the company of choice.
“Each and every Emirates aircraft has temperature control, including the lower deck,” he stressed. “At the hub in Dubai we can make cargo connections in two or three hours depending on the cargo and the situation, at the same airport. There, we operate at two different airports simultaneously, and nonetheless we can make connections in as little as six hours, despite the fact that the airports are 100 kilometers apart. So you must take all of this into consideration, because that reflects into greater efficiency and the safely, timely arrival of your product,” he said. According to the executive, cargo can leave Brazil and be available for retail in Dubai in 24 hours.
Sea transportation
Active in Brazil since 1997, the container shipping company MSC carried close to 40% of all goods shipped by sea from Brazil to the Arab countries from January to June this year. “The bulk of refrigerated cargo shipped from Brazil goes to the Arab countries,” said MSC commercial director Laurent Van der Voo. The products are primarily beef and poultry.
He explained that there is no direct sea shipping between Brazil and the Arab world. Goods shipped from Brazil pass through different ports in Europe or South Africa before reaching the Middle East and North Africa countries.
The port in Coega, South Africa is where most of the cargo is transferred before leaving for the Arab countries. Goods are shipped from that facility to 14 countries in the region: Bahrain, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Van der Voo also discussed the ports from which goods leave Brazil bound for the Middle East and North Africa. “The ports in the South and the Southeast handle the highest volume of goods shipped to the Arab market,” he said.
The Port of Paranaguá, in the state of Paraná, is the source of 27% of Brazilian goods shipped to the Arab world. The Port of Santos, in the state of São Paulo, ships 23% of goods. The ports of Itajaí and Navegantes, in Santa Catarina, ship 20%.
According to Van der Voo, it takes 35 to 40 days for cargo from Brazil to arrive at their destinations in the Middle East and North Africa.
Summit
The Arab Chamber president Marcelo Sallum opened the event. According to him, the topic of the seminar is one of the subjects in the agenda for the upcoming Summit of South American-Arab Countries (Aspa), slated for November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“The Chamber has been tasked by the League of Arab States with preparing the commercial agenda for the summit, and today we are planting the seed of what the Summit of South American-Arab Countries will be,” he said.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
