CMA CGM Tax Audit at Santos Brasil — English–Portuguese Simultaneous Interpretation | lingo
Alex Barros interpreted English–Portuguese to connect local tax teams, port terminals and remote sessions with Marseille.
Actual assignment timeline
8 interpretation sessions between August 2025 and February 2026. EY France audit: November 12, 18, 25 and 26, 2025 — a team of French auditors at Santos Brasil's headquarters in São Paulo and at the terminals. A scheduling conflict on November 25 was resolved with a fellow interpreter (Morgan Stanley at the same time). Supplier registration formalized. Invoices issued monthly.
A tax audit across four states
After CMA CGM acquired Santos Brasil in Brazil's largest port M&A transaction, tax audit teams were sent to assess tax liabilities at all terminals before the financial statements were consolidated in Marseille.
The assignment lasted 6+ weeks and combined on-site visits to the Santos terminal, Vila do Conde (PA), Pecém (CE) and Imbituba (SC), as well as remote sessions with Marseille.
The working language in every audit session was English.
Alex Barros interpreted English–Portuguese throughout the assignment, preserving the context of tax terms as discussions moved between documents, local processes, field teams and international consolidation.
Editorial scope: this case describes the context, geographic scope and interpretation vocabulary. Specific dates, audit findings, amounts and confidential financial details are not included in this publication.
Six stages, consistent terminology
From the kick-off in Santos to the board presentation, interpretation supported the tax audit both in person and remotely.
W1 kick-off in Santos, SP
Tax audit kick-off in Santos, SP, with teams aligning the scope, documents and workflow in English–Portuguese.
W2 on-site visits to the Santos terminal
On-site visits to the Santos terminal to support the audit team's questions within the operational context.
W3 remote sessions with Marseille
Remote sessions with Marseille to connect local teams to the international stage of the audit and financial statement consolidation.
W4 visits to Vila do Conde, PA, and Pecém, CE
Visits to Vila do Conde, PA, and Pecém, CE, maintaining the same tax terminology across different port environments.
W5 Imbituba, SC, and consolidation
A visit to Imbituba, SC, followed by connecting operational information to financial statement consolidation in Marseille.
W6+ board presentation
Board presentation with English–Portuguese interpretation and the terminological continuity developed throughout the audit.
Four states within the on-site scope
Interpretation supported the audit at the Santos, Vila do Conde, Pecém and Imbituba terminals. Each visit required attention to the location, the topic under discussion and English tax terminology.
Santos
Kick-off and on-site visit to the Santos terminal at the start of the tax audit.
Vila do Conde
On-site visit in Pará, connecting tax terminology to the local context.
Pecém
On-site visit in Ceará, within the same audit scope.
Imbituba
On-site visit in Santa Catarina before the consolidation stage.
From Brazilian operations to consolidation in Marseille
Remote sessions with the CMA CGM team in Marseille complemented on-site visits across the four states.
Six tax terms, always in context
Brazilian expressions were accompanied by their English equivalents so the international team could understand each term's concept and role in the discussion.
Brazilian ICMS tax substitution in its tax context.
A formal tax assessment document, preserving its administrative nature.
A credit recognized outside its original period in the tax process under discussion.
A Brazilian tax regularization programme, retaining the name REFIS.
A potential tax risk or liability under assessment by the audit team.
Tax precision in English–Portuguese
An audit spread across terminals and an international team requires more than dictionary equivalents.
Acronyms with meaning
CFOP, ICMS-ST and REFIS are Brazilian references. English–Portuguese interpretation conveys the equivalent without losing the acronym or its tax context.
Consistent vocabulary
6+ weeks of sessions call for consistency: the same concept must remain understandable as the conversation moves from the terminal to a remote meeting.
Field teams and headquarters in the same conversation
Visits to Santos, Vila do Conde, Pecém and Imbituba connect to sessions with Marseille through clear, contextualized interpretation.
About the CMA CGM × Santos Brasil tax audit
What was the assignment's context?
After acquiring Santos Brasil in Brazil's largest port M&A transaction, CMA CGM sent tax audit teams to assess tax liabilities at all terminals before consolidating financial statements in Marseille.
What was the working language?
The working language in every audit session was English. Alex Barros interpreted English–Portuguese in person and remotely.
What were the stages of the assignment?
W1 kick-off in Santos, SP; W2 on-site visits to the Santos terminal; W3 remote sessions with Marseille; W4 visits to Vila do Conde, PA, and Pecém, CE; W5 Imbituba, SC, and consolidation; W6+ board presentation.
Which locations were included in the on-site scope?
On-site visits took place in Santos (SP), Vila do Conde (PA), Pecém (CE) and Imbituba (SC), with remote sessions with Marseille.
Which terms were included in the glossary?
The contextual glossary included CFOP, ICMS-ST, auto de infração, crédito extemporâneo, REFIS and contingência fiscal, all presented as PT → EN.
Interpretation for international transactions
Frequently asked questions
Does the interpreter sign an NDA?
Yes. For assignments involving non-public information, lingo signs a bilateral NDA before the service begins. The standard agreement covers confidentiality of the content and the parties' names, a five-year term and jurisdiction in São Paulo.
What is the minimum booking lead time?
48 hours for remote RSI. 72 hours for in-person interpretation with UHF equipment. For new clients or complex technical glossaries, 5 business days is ideal.
How does the technical glossary work?
Alex Barros requests the presentation and agenda 48 hours in advance and prepares an event-specific technical glossary — proprietary terms, internal acronyms and metrics not found in dictionaries. For recurring assignments, the glossary grows with every session.
Does your company need an interpreter for an international tax audit?
Tell lingo about your scope, languages and the settings involved. The team will respond with an interpretation proposal tailored to the project.