Port of Natal loses almost 40 fruit exporters to competing state Ceará

With CMA-CGM’s decision to abandon operations at the Port of Natal, which should occur in the coming months, around 40 fruit producers will no longer export the more than 20 thousand tonnes of fruits expected at the terminal in the next harvest, which starts in August this year.

These shipments will likely be redirected to ports in the neighboring state of Ceará so that, from there, they can reach consumers in other continents. On the other hand, the Port of Natal should welcome the Agrícola Famosa’s refrigerated bulk carrier, which can transport 3 thousand tonnes per week (about 75 thousand t during 24 weeks).

Since last year, the company has changed its logistics and started exporting between 30% and 35% of its melon and watermelon production to Europe in a model that dispenses the use of containers and uses pallets instead.

See below the track record of fruit exports (hs codes 0800-0812) shipped in containers at the Port of Natal from Jan 2019 and Jan 2023, according to the DataLiner business intelligence service.

Fruit exports from the Port of Natal | Jan 2019 – Jan 2023 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Half of Rio Grande do Norte’s products are already redirected to the neighboring state. Still, since October last year, when CMA-CGM, the largest container carrier in the world with business ramifications in maritime, land, and air logistics, communicated to state port authority Codern the end of its operations in Natal, some were fearful of the possibility of all in-state fruit exporters migrating to Ceará.

Source: Tribuna do Norte

To read the full original news piece, see: http://www.tribunadonorte.com.br/noticia/porto-de-natal-perdera-quase-40-exportadores-de-frutas-para-o-ceara/559799

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