Cabo Verde Airlines is the flag carrier of the Republic of Cabo Verde, founded in 1958 and headquartered in Praia. It flies the Lisbon to Praia international route with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and inter-island services with ATR 72 and Dash 8. Cargo from China to Cabo Verde transits Lisbon and is carried on to Praia by Cabo Verde Airlines.
Cabo Verde Airlines (IATA VR, ICAO TCV, formerly TACV) is the flag carrier of the Republic of Cabo Verde, founded in 1958 and headquartered in Praia, the capital, with its main hub at Praia Nelson Mandela International Airport (RAI). It operates Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft on international routes and ATR 72 and Dash 8 aircraft on inter-island domestic services.
After restructuring and a period of suspension the airline resumed operations and now uses Lisbon (LIS) as its main European gateway, with scheduled Praia to Lisbon flights and transatlantic routes to Providence (PVD) in the United States and Recife (REC) in Brazil. Cargo moves mainly in passenger belly holds, providing air capacity for trade between Cabo Verde and Europe and the Americas. The official website is caboverdeairlines.com.
The network is centered on Praia and links three international points, Lisbon, Providence and Recife, alongside inter-island services to Sao Vicente (VXE) and Sal (SID). Lisbon is the core trunk route with several flights a week carrying passengers and cargo between Cabo Verde and Europe, while Providence and Recife are seasonal or weekly and mainly serve the diaspora and peak tourism.
Cabo Verde is an Atlantic island country off West Africa made up of ten main islands, with tourism and remittances as the pillars of its economy. As the national flag carrier it provides inter-island links and external transport, and its cargo service mainly serves imported food, medicines, building materials and parcels for the diaspora. Cargo exported from China to Cabo Verde must transit a European hub.
The airline's history goes back to TACV, founded in 1958 and initially flying only inter-island routes. As Cabo Verdean communities grew in Europe, the company opened its first international route, Sal to Lisbon, in 1985 and gradually extended to Europe and North America. After restructuring in recent years it resumed operations under the Cabo Verde Airlines brand, focused on the Lisbon gateway and transatlantic routes.
On the cargo side, Cabo Verde Airlines has no separate freighter fleet and cargo revenue comes mainly from passenger belly holds. It sells to local importers, diaspora parcel services and international forwarders, and cargo from China is handed over in Lisbon by a European agent and connected to VR flights. The airline has cargo terminals in Praia and on Sal offering ULD handling and arrival notification.
The IATA code is VR, ICAO code TCV, and the callsign D3. The airline has its headquarters and main maintenance base at Praia Nelson Mandela International Airport (RAI) and an operating station at Sal Amilcar Cabral International Airport (SID). It is a member of the African Airlines Association and holds interline agreements with several European carriers.
Cabo Verde Airlines has no publicly listed scheduled route or own office in China; contact its local agent in China or ask us to coordinate. Cargo from China to Cabo Verde must first transit a European hub, mainly Lisbon LIS, and is then carried to Praia by Cabo Verde Airlines.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited can plan the routing from China to Cabo Verde, book the China to Lisbon flight, and connect at Lisbon to the Cabo Verde Airlines Praia service; our website is goodhope86.com.
Note that Cabo Verde Airlines does not sell space directly to Chinese shippers: the China departure is carried in a European carrier's belly, and the Lisbon transfer and VR connection must be handled by a forwarder with European agent resources. At enquiry the shipper should provide pieces, weight and dimensions, commodity, consignor and consignee details and the preferred week, and the agent confirms whether the two legs connect. Dangerous goods, temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals and outsized cargo must be declared and approved by the carrier before booking. We suggest confirming space one week before dispatch and completing warehousing and documents three days before.
The main international type is the Boeing 737 MAX 8, laid out for about 174 seats in two classes, with limited belly cargo space. Inter-island routes use ATR 72 and Dash 8 turboprops, carrying passengers and cargo between the islands. The airline has no freighters, cargo moves mainly in passenger bellies, and payload is limited by the passenger schedule and baggage load.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is a single-aisle narrowbody whose lower hold takes a small number of LD3 containers and loose cargo, with limited payload, suited to high-value small pieces, documents, medicines and samples. The Praia to Lisbon sector takes about four hours twenty minutes and operates several times a week. The inter-island ATR 72 and Dash 8 bellies take only small pieces, mainly on short routes such as Praia to Sao Vicente and Sal.
Because there are no freighters, large or heavy cargo from China to Cabo Verde cannot move in this carrier's belly. Such cargo should go by sea container to Lisbon or Dakar, be devanned at the port, and the air-suitable part flown to Praia as loose pallets on VR flights. Complete vehicles or large equipment should go by sea to a Cabo Verde port and then by truck to destination.
| Aircraft type | Use | Freight capacity | Main sectors |
|---|---|---|---|
| B737 MAX 8 | International scheduled routes | Limited belly capacity on passenger aircraft | Praia to Lisbon, Praia to Providence, Praia to Recife |
| ATR 72 | Domestic inter-island routes | Small consignments in the belly hold | Praia to Sao Vicente, Sal and other inter-island routes |
| Dash 8 | Domestic inter-island routes | Small consignments in the belly hold | Supplementary inter-island flights |
Cabo Verde Airlines has no scheduled route or own office in China. The standard routing for exports to Cabo Verde is: from a Chinese gateway (Shanghai Pudong PVG, Hong Kong HKG, Guangzhou CAN and others) in a passenger belly to Lisbon (LIS), transfer and clearance arrangements at Lisbon, then the Cabo Verde Airlines VR scheduled flight to Praia (RAI). Cargo for the other islands can connect to an inter-island flight or truck at Praia.
In practice shippers can depart from Shanghai Pudong, Beijing Capital or Hong Kong on a major Chinese carrier's passenger belly to Lisbon, then take a VR connection the same or next day, about four hours twenty minutes to Praia Nelson Mandela International Airport. Cabo Verde is in the euro zone and applies local import duty and VAT, and the consignee must be eligible to import.
For the other islands, Sal (SID) is the tourism and fishing center and Sao Vicente (VXE) the cultural and fishing center; both can be reached from Praia by inter-island flight or ferry. We can arrange the inter-island transfer so that cargo reaches the consignee's address. Times are local, schedules follow the season, and confirmation rests with the carrier on the day of booking.
Main Chinese exports to Cabo Verde are building materials, machinery and electrical products, textiles and apparel, consumer electronics, household goods and medical supplies. With no freighters available, large or heavy cargo should go by container to Lisbon or Dakar and then by air, or be devanned in Lisbon and flown to Praia as loose pallets.
On the transfer itself, Lisbon is a major European gateway and cargo can be documented at the terminal or cargo shed before connecting to the VR flight. Because Cabo Verde Airlines has no large cargo terminal in Lisbon, half a day to a day is normally allowed between flights for position allocation and customs declaration. For cargo cleared in Cabo Verde the consignee should prepare import permits and tax registration in advance.
Through the Cabo Verde Airlines network and the European connection, Chinese export cargo can reach the whole country, including Praia, Sal and Sao Vicente, and can connect at Lisbon to major European consumer markets or at Praia toward West African Atlantic islands and coastal states. For Chinese shippers the core value is Cabo Verde as an Atlantic gateway to island markets off West Africa.
The local market is small, but as an Atlantic island gateway the airline's network can reach West African coastal countries such as Senegal and Mauritania. Chinese exports are mainly consumer goods, textiles and apparel, machinery and electrical products and building materials, with a high dependence on imported medicines and food. The routing suits small and medium volumes with tight deadlines, not bulk heavy cargo.
Praia is the main gateway, Sal and Sao Vicente are the tourism and fishing centers, and both can be reached by inter-island flight or truck.
Lisbon is a major European hub connecting to main European cities and Nordic consumer markets, suited to replenishment of Chinese exports to Europe.
Cabo Verde is an Atlantic island gateway off West Africa and can connect with coastal points such as Dakar in Senegal.
For Chinese cross-border sellers and diaspora parcel services the value is a Lisbon hub that gets small consignments reliably to the Cabo Verdean capital and the main tourism islands. Manufacturers can send samples and spares this way to local importers, who then distribute to retail.
Local importers buy mainly from Europe, Portugal and Brazil, and the share of direct Chinese sourcing is rising. The routing suits first trial orders and sample shipments when entering the Cabo Verdean market; once volumes are steady, a sea-first, air-second combination balances transit and cost.
Lisbon has dense passenger belly capacity from China, with several daily flights from major Chinese gateways and well-established connections.
Cabo Verde Airlines flies nonstop to Praia, so cargo transiting Lisbon reaches the capital directly without repeated customs transfers on the West African mainland.
Belly space on the 737 MAX 8 is limited but suits high-value small pieces, samples, medicines and diaspora parcels.
ATR 72 and Dash 8 inter-island flights distribute cargo to the main Cabo Verdean islands, completing the final leg.
In short, Chinese shippers use the Cabo Verde Airlines network because Lisbon gives a stable transit hub into this Atlantic island country. For high-value small pieces, diaspora parcels and urgent medicines the routing balances transit and cost; for large or heavy cargo a sea leg should be added to keep total freight down.
The limits are the absence of freighters, modest payload and dependence on Lisbon for transit. Exporters with volumes beyond passenger belly capacity should treat Cabo Verde as a supplementary West African destination and route the main volume through other West African gateways such as Dakar or Abidjan on freighter services.
Booking cargo from China to Praia via Lisbon involves two legs. The standard steps are:
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited acts as the China departure agent, helping the shipper with both bookings, ground acceptance, export clearance and arrival distribution. Rates and a flight calendar are available on our website goodhope86.com.
The key at booking is the connecting time between the two legs: China to Lisbon flights usually leave by day or at night, half a day to a day is allowed in Lisbon, and VR flights to Praia operate several times a week. Cargo should reach the bonded warehouse at the Chinese departure airport before cut-off, and once the waybill is confirmed we provide the master waybill number, both flight dates and an arrival forecast. Shippers needing insurance can take out all-risks air cargo cover separately.
On pricing, the freight has two parts: the China to Lisbon belly charge at China export rates and the Lisbon VR connection at Europe to Cabo Verde rates. We can quote a single through rate covering both legs, the transfer handling and local charges, so the shipper does not have to ask separately. Regular importers can sign an annual agreement for better rates. The peak is the tourist season and the year-end shopping period, when booking two weeks ahead is advisable.
Cabo Verde has a large diaspora in Europe, and parcels, documents and personal effects suit the passenger belly express channel with transit of about five to seven days.
Cabo Verde depends on imported medicines and food; temperature-controlled cargo must be declared before booking, use temperature-controlled ULDs and transit Lisbon quickly.
Large building materials should go by sea to Lisbon or Dakar first, then be devanned and flown to Praia as loose pallets to control air freight cost.
The islands are linked by ATR 72 and Dash 8 aircraft, and we can arrange the inter-island transfer after arrival in Praia.
Cabo Verde Airlines also provides arrival notification and collection booking for local importers, and clearance in Praia is handled by the consignee or its agent. Cargo for the tourism island of Sal can connect to an inter-island flight or ferry at Praia. We suggest confirming clearance documents and tax registration requirements with the local consignee before dispatch so that incomplete paperwork does not create storage charges on arrival.
On documents, exports to Cabo Verde need a commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill and import licence. Cabo Verdean customs has special entry requirements for food, medicines and cosmetics, and shippers should check in advance that products meet local standards. We can help prepare export documents and provide document handover at the Lisbon transfer.
The diagram shows the routing from China to Cabo Verde: a major Chinese gateway in a passenger belly to Lisbon, then the Cabo Verde Airlines VR flight to Praia, followed by distribution to the islands. The logic is Lisbon as the European transit hub and Praia as the Cabo Verdean gateway, with the two legs completing the movement from China to this Atlantic island country.
No scheduled China routes or direct offices are publicly listed. Contact its local agent in China, or we can make the introduction.
Not advisable. The airline does not sell space directly to Chinese shippers; the two legs must be booked through a China departure agent and a local European agent.
Cargo flies in a passenger belly to Lisbon and then connects to the Cabo Verde Airlines VR flight to Praia; we arrange both bookings and quote a single through rate.
No. Cargo moves mainly in passenger belly holds, the 737 MAX 8 flies the international routes with limited payload, and large items need a sea leg.
International flights arrive mainly at Praia RAI; cargo for other islands transfers to an inter-island flight or truck, and Sal and Sao Vicente are the main tourism and fishing centers.
China to Lisbon is about fifteen hours, the Lisbon transfer half a day to a day, and the VR flight to Praia about four hours, giving about five to seven days overall and slightly longer in peak season.
Large building materials should go by sea to Lisbon or Dakar, then be devanned and flown to Praia as loose pallets to control cost; complete vehicles and equipment should go all the way by sea.
After arrival in Praia it transfers by inter-island flight or ferry to Sal and other tourism islands, and we can arrange the whole transfer.
The consignee should prepare import permits and tax registration in advance; requirements follow Cabo Verdean customs and should be confirmed before dispatch.
Cabo Verdean customs has special entry requirements for food, medicines and cosmetics; shippers should check that products meet local standards in advance to avoid return at destination.
Yes. We can quote a single through rate covering both legs, transfer handling and local charges, so the shipper does not need separate quotes.
The peak is the tourist season and the year-end shopping period; book two weeks ahead, and contract customers can have priority space.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited can plan the routing from China via Lisbon to Praia and arrange both bookings and arrival distribution.
Disclaimer:Airline codes, aircraft types, schedules, payloads and route Information here are compiled from the carrier's published material and public industry reports for reference only. Times are local, schedules follow the season, and confirmation rests with the carrier on the day of booking. Acceptance limits for special cargo, dangerous goods and temperature-controlled goods follow the carrier's final approval. Sources are the Cabo Verde Airlines website, published annual reports and industry press.
Trademark statement:The names and marks Cabo Verde Airlines, TACV and Boeing 737 are the property of their respective owners; The material describes freight services only and implies no association or endorsement. The page is compiled and published by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited.