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Hapag-Lloyd and Norsul form joint venture for cabotage in Brazil

Hapag-Lloyd and the Brazilian shipping and waterway logistics company Norsul have set up a new joint venture, “Norcoast”.

Michele Labrut, Americas Correspondent

October 20, 2023

2 Min Read
NORSUL ship
Fabrizio Oliviera | MarineTraffic.com

Based on a 50-50 partnership, Norcoast envisages to start offering container cabotage and feeder services in Brazilian ports starting in the first quarter of 2024. 

Norcoast will be an independent company in the sector, leveraging the strength of both parent companies.

With 60 years of experience in cabotage, Norsul transported 28 M tonnes of solid bulk (such as cement, minerals, steel products and commodities) and liquid bulk (hydrocarbons, derivatives, and biofuels). The company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, owns 21 vessels for coastal and long-distance shipping and operates with support bases in the states of Espírito Santo and Santa Catarina.

“The Brazilian coastal transport sector is constantly growing and handled over 1.2M teus in 2022. Norcoast will offer integrated logistics as well as quick and efficient solutions for its customers – thereby taking advantage of the increasing demand in Brazil’s coastal shipping market,” said Andrés Kulka, Senior Managing Director Region Latin America at Hapag-Lloyd.

“The creation of Norcoast is an important milestone while it combines the expertise of Hapag-Lloyd and Norsul. Norcoast will promote access, additional capacity, and inclusion of companies in the use of coastal navigation as a transportation mode whilst being present in the largest ports in Brazil," explained Angelo Baroncini, CEO of Norsul.

Related:Cosco Shipping launches multipurpose service between Guangzhou and Brazil

The new joint venture will be headed by Gustavo Paschoa, CEO of Norcoast, who brings with him extensive industry expertise in the Brazilian transport and logistics sector – including previous senior management positions at Norsul, Damco, DSV and Penske Logistics.

Norcoast has already been incorporated and the partnership between Hapag-Lloyd and Norsul was also approved by the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), Brazil’s national competition regulator. The request to operate as a Brazilian shipping company (EBN) was also approved by the Board of Directors of the Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (ANTAQ) – thereby paving the way to enter the market and increasing choices for Brazilian customers. 

About the Author

Michele Labrut

Americas Correspondent

Michèle Labrut is a long-time Panama resident, a journalist and correspondent, and has continuously covered the maritime sector of Central & Latin America.

Michèle first came to Panama as a press attaché to the French Embassy and then returned to the isthmus as a foreign correspondent in the 1980s.

Author of Seatrade Maritime's annual Panama Maritime Review magazine and of several books, Michèle also wrote for Time magazine, The Miami Herald, NBC News and the Economist Intelligence Unit. She has also collaborated in making several documentaries for the BBC and European and U.S. television networks.

Michèle's profession necessitates a profound knowledge of the country, but her acumen is not from necessity alone, but a genuine passion for Panama.

In 2012 she was awarded the Order of Merit (Knight grade) by the French Government for her services to international journalism and in 2021 the upgrade to Chevalier grade.

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