Marina Sarruf*
São Paulo – Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer has opened one new market in the Arab world. The company has received an order for a jet from Sirte Oil Company, which produces oil and natural gas in Libya. The forecast for delivery of the aircraft, an Embraer 170 with capacity for 76 passengers, is March 2007.
Embraer does not disclose the value of the contract, but the list price of the aircraft, without options, is US$ 27.5 million. According to the Brazilian company, the jet will be used to transport company employees from the head office, in Marsa El Brega, to Tripoli, the capital of Libya, and other work bases belonging to the organization in Libya. The aircraft will be configured for just one class.
"The Embraer 170 offers the ideal size to transport our team from one base to another. The selection process considered, mainly, the large passenger cabin and cargo compartment," stated the chairman of the board of governors of Sirte Oil Company, Ali Alsaghir, according to a statement by the Brazilian company.
Another fact that shows the growth of the Brazilian company on the Arab market is that the first Embraer aircraft has been delivered to Royal Jordanian, the airline based in Amman, the Jordanian capital, early this week. The Arab company placed an order for seven Embraer 195 aircraft early this year. Each aircraft costs on average US$ 35 million.
The aircraft will have a capacity for transport of up to 100 passengers, with 12 first class seats, with a distance of 107 centimetres between rows, and another 88 seats in economy class, with a distance of 84 centimetres. Royal Jordanian is going to launch the Embraer 195 in the Middle East.
The ceremony for delivery of the first aircraft counted on the presence of the prince of Jordan, Faisal Bin Al-Hussein, of the president of Royal Jordanian, Samer A. Majali, and of the director at the company, Nasser A. Lozi. The information was disclosed by newspaper Al Hayat.
Faisal stated that the Embraer 195 is going to increase the regional efficiency of Royal Jordanian, permitting a larger number of flights. The Arab company organized a tourist trip to the city of Paphos, in Cyprus, for the maiden flight of the Embraer 195.
Project Libya
According to the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, who was in Libya up to yesterday, there is another Libyan company, Libyan Airlines, interested in Embraer aircraft. Alaby met yesterday with the director of the Arab company, Mohamed Busefi, who said that he is negotiating with Embraer.
Alaby was in Libya participating in Project Libya 2006, an event that included two trade fairs, one in the energy sector and another in infrastructure, which counted on 96 companies from 39 countries. Alaby also met yesterday (6) with members of the board of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Libya.
At the occasion, businessman M.H. Megherbi, of Libya Food, a producer and importer of raw materials and food producer, was also present. He is interested in importing frozen mashed fruit, dairy products like powdered milk, mozzarella cheese, butter and cream cheese from Brazil.
*With Silwan Abbassi. Translated by Mark Ament
