The vessel Agena, which has been operating as the maritime connection between the United States of America (USA) and Cabo Verde, has been acquired by the Atlantic Shipping Company, according to a recent announcement made by that company. This vessel is now known as the Atlantic Express.
According to Victor DePina, president and chief executive officer of Atlantic Shipping, the transaction took place on December 15 while the Agena was traveling from Cabo Verde to the United States. As soon as we reached our destination, we immediately changed the name of the ship to the Atlantic Express, submitted the necessary paperwork, and modified the ship's registration.
According to DePina's knowledge, the business had been working with Agena on a leasing contract for the previous four years. "The previous year, when we discovered that the boat was going to be placed up for sale, we decided to purchase it. Otherwise, it could have been purchased by someone else, hich would leave us without a ship " he continued.
Additionally, according to Victor DePina, the purchase of the boat is essential to the business's maintenance and the continuation of the shipping line to Cabo Verde, which will be celebrating its 28th anniversary on February 17.
He stressed that the ship could dock at the ports of the islands of Fogo and Brava because, among other things, the length of the pier, the sea depth, and the size of the crane allow it to do so.
In 1995, we created Atlantic Shipping, intending to dock in four ports of Cape Verdean archipelago. The purchase of this vessel means that we will continue to travel to the islands of Fogo and Brava, along with S. Vicente and Praia, for the next ten to fifteen years. According to the recommendation of the CEO of Atlantic Shipping, continue working on the identical modules that have been the focus of our efforts for the previous 28 years.
At a speed of 10 knots per hour, the ship has the capacity to carry 167 containers, in addition to autos and several other sorts of cargo. It takes an average of 12 days to get from the United States to Cabo Verde; however, this timeframe can vary greatly depending on the weather. The ship features two cranes, each capable of lifting 30 tones.
"To assist our Cape Verdean community so that it does not lose its direct connection to the mother land is both our mission and our driving passion. Atlantic Shipping is the only firm that has ever started or continues to conduct business in this manner. In addition, I would like to bring to your attention the fact that with upcoming voyage we will complete 174 round-trip trips to Cabo Verde. This may sound unimportant to a few people, but it's actually quite logical. On this route, service was previously provided by another company; however, they completed fewer than 30 trips each month", he provided a statement.
Benefits to Cape Verde's Economy and Emigrants' Families
The Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Shipping believes that his firm has made a significant impact on the economy of Cabo Verde as well as the lives of the families left behind by emigrants.
"Atlantic Shipping is not more than a participant, but it is a partner and a major actor in this machine to assist Cape Verde" (...) And I say this to all of you: not just the person who receives drum benefits from this. The taxi driver who drives you to Vale dos Cavaleiros; the guy with the van who helps move the barrel home; the person with the van who carries the recipient from the interior of Fogo to the city of S. Filipe; everyone in society benefits, even those who are seen as rich and have received nothing from the United States. As a result of the fact that hundreds of Sucupira saleswomen come from Praia to Fogo in search of American items, which they subsequently sell in Praia, the entirety of the socioeconomic strata benefits in some manner. Put another way, the State benefits since thousands of individuals can exist without depending on labor or support from the State. This includes people who work in land transport, taxis, and business people who buy things from the United States to resale in their stores.
In 2022, Atlantic Shipping moved over 30,000 drums, which is in addition to the thousands of cartons, hundreds of automobiles, and containers that were also moved during that year. The figure was reported by Victor DePina. "Are you able to estimate the number of people whose lives have been improved as a result of this? There is a great deal of them. This provides us with the assurance that we can pursue this line of action for a considerable amount of time," he stated in conclusion.