Transinsular announced the 'Lince Class', the fastest maritime connection with Cape Verde from Portugal (Leixões / Lisbon) and the Canary Islands (Las Palmas). And therefore, the most competitive solution for exporting products from Portugal, Spain, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
At the same time, and as a complement to the 'Lince Class', the ETE Group will offer inter-island ‘ATOBÁ’ cabotage services, on the way from Praia, Mindelo, Sal and Boavista, connecting these ports to the African proximity markets such as Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania.
Best transit time in the market and 1900 TEUs capacity/month between Cape Verde and the Rest of the world
The 'Lince Class' is operated with the ship 'Pocahontas' (with a capacity of 950 TEUs), every fortnight, weekly fixed dates and the best transit-time of the market, Southbound from Lisbon to Praia in only 5 days and northbound Mindelo / Leixões in just 5 days for export. With a total capacity of around 1900 TEUs per month, it discharges in Praia the import cargoes destined for
Cape Verde and the African markets of proximity, receiving in Mindelo the export cargoes destined for Leixões and Lisbon and directed to Europe, Mediterranean and rest of the world.
This service, which replaces the previous 'Africa Express', is the only one in the market to guarantee its customers schedules on fixed week dates, reducing risks and responding more effectively to the product requirements and targeted markets.
The fortnight fixed days schedule, such a short transit time and the capacity for up to 330 40foot reefer on board the Pocahontas position the port of Mindelo and Cape Verde as the most competitive link in West Africa for fish export from that region and South America (Brazil and Uruguay) to Vigo, one of the main international fish conservation and processing centres, with fixed departures on Wednesday and arrival in Leixões on Monday. In addition, through its connection to the 'ATOBÁ' service, it benefits the reefer cargo export from Nouhadibou, Mauritania, with regular schedules and departures on Saturdays (fortnightly) and arrivals to Leixões on Monday, offering only 9 days of transit-time.
For Luís Mira de Oliveira, board member of ETE Group and in charge of the Cape Verde affairs, “this new shipping architecture offered by ETE Group, through its Transinsular shipowner, contributes to Cape Verde as the maritime transport development centre in West Africa and reinforce the growing geo-strategic importance of the archipelago in the Atlantic '.
The new Transinsular’s CEO, Claus Larner, underlines Transinsular's vocation to respond to niche markets with its own needs. According to him, 'this model guarantees additional competitiveness gains to our customers - speed, regularity and fixed days in the week -, optimizing their time to market in Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania and the Canaries, and simultaneously transforming Cape Verde into the maritime Hub to West Africa '.
Cabotage inter-islands ‘ATOBÁ’ will develop local economies
Transinsular's inter-island ‘ATOBÁ’ service feeds with International and local cargo the ports of Boavista, Sal, Mindelo, Bissau, Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, promoting the local economy development and increasing their potential for internationalization. Transinsular's own local agents in Cape Verde and partner agencies in the remaining ports ensure the service reservation and support the entire process / documentation.
The cabotage service is carried out by the ship 'Ponta do Sol', under the command of the local shipowner Transinsular - Transportes Marítimos Insulares de Cabo Verde, Lda and operated with native archipelago crew, being the only one registered in Cape Verde flag enabled to operate in the inter-island cabotage.
