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THE BELEM, SOLIDARITY AFLOAT!

10/10/09

A famous three-master whose destiny and history remain closely linked to the town of Nantes and chocolate. Quite unthinkable that the Belem should miss the opportunity to salute the fleet setting out on the inaugural edition of a yacht race run over one of the former cocoa trade routes. Berthed along the Quai de la Fosse opposite the Village Solidaire and open to the public, tomorrow she will be leading the Grande Parade Solidaire from Nantes to Saint-Nazaire, in her role as flagship of the Class 40 fleet. The history of Nantes, the cocoa trade and the Belem are inextricably linked. Built in 1896 by the Dubigeon shipyard  in Chantenay-sur-Loire for shipowner Crouan &Fils, she spent the first ten years of her active life carrying cocoa beans from Amazonia to France, for the baron Meunier, the world’s first chocolate maker. From 1896 to 1907, this exceptional ship also ran across the Atlantic a dozen times from Belém do Pará in Brazil to Nantes, laden with her cargo of cocoa beans for the Meunier factory in Noisel.

In support of Mexican projects...
The Belem is involved in the Solidaire du Chocolat thanks to the support of the Caisse d’Epargne Bretagne-Pays de la Loire, her patron, particularly in sharing the funds received from the public who visit the ship between the Fondation Belem and the charitable Mexican associations involved. This exceptional three-master will be present on the starting line of the race on Sunday 18th October to accompany the 24 boats on the first few miles of their great transatIantic adventure – the longest transatlantic race ever run, bound for Progreso in the Yucatan.
Last witness and survivor of the cocoa trade route she sailed many times, the Belem conveys a strong message of solidarity to the 48 skippers taking part in the Solidaire.





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