Port of Natal Launches New Operation to Export 6,000 Tonnes of Fruit Weekly to Europe

On Monday, August 26, the Port of Natal began a new operation aimed at exporting 6,000 tonnes of fruits per week to Europe until February of next year. The Rio Grande do Norte Docks Company (Codern), the port manager, and the state government of Rio Grande do Norte announced this projection.

According to Codern, the goal is to exceed the previous season’s exports through the Port of Natal by 36%. On Monday, the Panamanian company Cool Carriers docked its ship for the operation’s inaugural fruit shipment.

The new operation involves the weekly departure of a ship loaded with 200 trucks worth of fruits, representing 4,500 pallets or 50 containers.

In addition to fruits from Rio Grande do Norte, the port terminal also aims to ship commodities from the São Francisco River Valley in Petrolina, Pernambuco, Codern reported.

Investments in the Port

The Port of Natal underwent renovations thanks to a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Agrícola Famosa, the largest fruit producer and exporter in Rio Grande do Norte. The state leads Brazil in fresh fruit exports, particularly melons and watermelons.

According to Codern and the state government, investments included R$30 million in refrigerated trucks for road transport, R$10 million in forklifts and electric pallet trucks, and R$500,000 for constructing a cross-docking facility designed to streamline container loading.

Guilherme Saldanha, the state secretary of agriculture, livestock, and fisheries, expressed optimism that these investments will allow the state to export half of its total fruit production to Europe via the Port of Natal.

“We secured resources from the federal government, Codern, and the private sector for port renovations, including the installation of cross-docking facilities and a cold storage unit to expedite shipping, which is now underway,” said Saldanha.

“As a result, we expect 50% of the fruits produced in Rio Grande do Norte to be exported via the Port of Natal. In the previous season, that percentage didn’t reach 30%,” he added.

Changes in Port Operations

New plans for the Port of Natal were developed after the French company CMA CGM ceased operations at the terminal in April 2023 to focus on the Port of Mucuripe in Ceará. Until then, CMA CGM had managed the largest operations at the port in the state capital.

Please refer to the chart below for a monthly comparison of fruit exports shipped from the Port of Natal in containers between Jan 2019 and Apr 2023. The data is from DataLiner.

Natal Port’s Fruits Exports | Jan 2019-Apr 2023 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Sector Plans for New Shipments to China

Governor Fátima Bezerra also stated that the federal government had confirmed investments in the port and the Newton Navarro Bridge.

“Last Friday, Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho assured me over the phone of the federal government’s investments to expand and improve the Port of Natal. These include R$ 60 million for dredging, R$ 10 million to replace quay defenses, and another R$ 8.5 million for warehouse and depot renovations,” she said.

According to the governor, the funds for the quay defenses are expected to arrive in 2024, while the dredging is scheduled for 2025.

“We’re witnessing a strong resurgence in activity at the Port of Natal, which is the closest port to Europe, offering shorter transit times and lower costs for exports,” said Codern President Nino Ubarana.

Exports

Agrícola Famosa is the largest producer of melons and watermelons in Brazil and one of the largest in the world. The company also produces mangoes and papayas. Melons account for 25% of Rio Grande do Norte’s exports.

Agrícola Famosa’s farming operations generate around 20,000 jobs in Mossoró, Baraúna, and Assu, where most of the production is concentrated.

Source: G1

Click here to access this story’s original reporting: https://g1.globo.com/rn/rio-grande-do-norte/noticia/2024/08/26/porto-de-natal-exportacao-toneladas-de-frutas-ate-fevereiro-2025.ghtml

Sharing is caring!