Geovana Pagel
São Paulo – The first shipping line connecting Brazil to Africa, more precisely the state of Ceará to Cape Verde, in Africa, was inaugurated at Macuripe port, in Fortaleza. In March 2004, a ship should be in operation from Santos port, in the southeastern state of São Paulo, and there should soon be another rout to Senegal.
The creation of the Brazil-Cape Verde line means an economy of time and money economy for both countries. Up to December 2003 Brazilian export to Africa had to go through Europe, and product delivery took between 45 and 80 days. Now cargo gets to its destiny in six days, also permitting the sale of perishable products such as fruit, vegetables, eggs, and milk in cartons.
Ameirican Atlantic Shipping Company had the initiative to start this line and is also responsible for the US$ 150,000 investment for each trip. Company president Victor DePina said that the business community in Cape Verde had been pushing him for the establishment of a direct and regular line to Brazil for a long time.
"Currently Cape Verde imports between 90% and 92% of all that is consumed in the archipelago, from construction material to foods and fuel."
According to the businessman, the line was made possible after negotiation between Atlantic Shipping, the Ceará State Port Administration, and the Federation of Industries of the State of Ceará (FIEC), starting in April 2003.
"We have established a commercial agreement. We undertake the risk of the investment, the Federation eases the deal working together with businessmen and exporters in the state, and the Port Administration eliminates charges for storage of empty containers," he explains.
"We decided to start in Ceará as the state shows great potential, starting with Macuripe port, which is very well positioned and has great operational conditions," states DePina.
Initially the company is going to make one cargo ship available per month, possibly bringing this down to every 15 days, depending on the answer by Ceará state businessmen. "We are even thinking about importing vehicles produced locally," guarantees DePina.
In its first trip to Africa, vessel Mantenha left Macuripe port carrying 80 containers of products produced in Ceará. Material shipped included metal beams, mattresses, roof tiles, wooden doors, coconut milk, furniture, granite, and juices.
Trade in expansion
Brazil exported almost US$ 6 million to Cape Verde between January and October 2002. In 2003, in the same period, only the sale of products from Ceará to the African countries reached around US$ 200,000 representing a growth of 42.8% when compared to the US$ 140,000 exported throughout 2002.
The Cape Verde archipelago is a door for Brazilian products to enter the African continent. "Our great objective is to develop the Cape Verde market well so as to be able to penetrate other countries on the Western coast of Africa," he states.
According to De DePina, Senegal is the next country with good potential for import of Brazilian products. "In February we will be traveling to the region for a market study," he states. According to him, in future the Ghana and Ivory Coast markets will also be prospected.
Privileged location
The Cape Verde archipelago is located in the heart of the world, at the crossroads between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. It is 500 kilometers away from Senegal, on the western coast of Africa, and about 1,300 nautical miles, or around 2,400 kilometers from Fortaleza, a distance an airplane covers in less than three and a half hours.
Cape Verde has nine inhabited islands, with a surface of exactly 4,033 km², for a population estimated at 450,000 inhabitants, around 80% mixed breed, 17% black, and 3% white. The archipelago was a compulsory stop for all going to India.
