2023-11-28 15:11:38
Since last July, cocoa and bananas have been traveling safely in the holds of Transit Fruit ships, a subsidiary of Compagnie Fruitière, the historic operator supplying France and even part of Europe with tropical fruits, particularly bananas. This new maritime line is established between Abidjan in Ivory Coast and the commercial port of Port-Vendres (Pyrénées-Orientales), managed by the CCI of Perpignan. The small Catalan port is less than 30 km from the warehouses of the cocoa bean processing factory of the Cémoi group, a chocolate giant, which reduces the last road transport path.
“We thus escape the shortage of containers”
Bernard Nasry, supply chains and logistics director of Cémoi in Perpignan
“Maritime transport itself is more expensive than the historic container connection between Abidjan and Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône). But there are other benefits that help balance the budget. We thus escape the shortage of containers,” explains Bernard Nasry, the supply chains and logistics director of Cémoi in Perpignan. The environmental equation of cocoa transport is not neutral. The new road avoids 80 truck journeys between Fos-sur-Mer, the usual port of arrival, and Perpignan, i.e. 270 km to travel, which means 34 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved.
34 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved
“Cocoa no longer travels in containers but in pallets that must be loaded into the hold. This is a very different, longer manipulation. We had to verify that the cocoa would not suffer from this change in transport conditions, that humidity and temperature would be respected and that the strong impregnation capacities of the cocoa would not alter the raw material,” continues Bernard. Nasry.
For the continuation of the chocolate adventure, Cémoi promises partially or completely decarbonized maritime vectors, always in close liaison with fruit operators, playing on the flexibility of the shipping quantities available. Cémoi is watching for the advent of large-capacity sailing ships to amplify the environmental approach launched several years ago to support cocoa producers on site in Africa.
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