CMA CGM restarts operations at Natal following drug bust

The Port of Natal’s sole operator, CMA CGM, has advised Rio Grande do Norte Port Authority (Codern) that operations will restart next month. The French company decided to suspend operations following the discovery of 3.3 tons of cocaine hidden in CMA CGM containers on February 12 and 13. DatamarNews reported Antaq (Brazil’s National Waterway Transportation Agency) had begun an investigation into security issues as a result of complaints by CMA CGM regarding improper security measures at the port.

According to a Datamar source, Marfret Guyane is the next vessel scheduled to call at the port on April 6. CMA CGM calls at Natal Port as part of its FRENCH GUYANA / NORTH BRAZIL service route, which it shares with Marfret.

Codern has created a “detailed action plan”, to the satisfaction of CMA CGM, which establishes adequate security measures in the port area. The organ is also committed to meeting the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code standards this year. Exporters from the state believe the port needs to deploy a container scanner which would require an R$11m investment.

Natal Port exports around 43,000 tons of fruits monthly. In January this year, 53% of exports from the state were melons, generating US$23.6m according to Secex data. The following DataLiner graph shows CMA CGM’s container exports from the port since 2009:

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