Seatrade, a specialist in reefer services and the world’s largest specialized reefer carrier, has ordered 4,000 new integrated reefers valued at more than US$55 million from Maersk Container Industry (MCI) in a move to expand its reefer container fleet.
The new Star Cool Integrated reefers will be equipped with the latest technology to protect perishable cargo during long-distance transportation and keep energy consumption at a minimum.
The order is seen to reinforce Seatrade’s perishable and sensitive cargo logistics, where durable and cutting-edge reefer technology is playing a vital role.
Seatrade live-tested refrigeration units available in the market before deciding on Star Cool Integrated, said an MCI release. Closely monitored shipments were carried out with chilled banana loads from Ecuador to Germany, during which energy consumption and cargo condition were measured. The results confirmed Star Cool’s higher performance, lower operating costs and CO2 emission levels, said the statement.
“It is essential that our reefer container equipment supports our Fast, Direct and Dedicated concept. Besides timely delivery, our customers need the longest possible shelf life for their produce. The vast majority of our cargo is perishable fruit and vegetables requiring chilled mode transportation with narrow variations in temperature and monitoring of food preservation,” said Yntze Buitenwerf, president and chairman of Seatrade.
“In addition, energy efficiency, whole life costs and long-term operational value are critical to our operations. To ensure these parameters are met, we carried out extensive field test trials and carefully analysed performance.”
All new reefer containers from MCI will be the Star Cool Integrated version equipped with an automatic ventilation system. A large number of units will also be installed with a controlled atmosphere system, with the option to upgrade the remaining reefers if demand for longer transportation of certain types of perishable cargo increases. Energy efficiency is further enhanced with MCI’s StarConomy software. This solution significantly reduces energy costs without compromising produce quality.
A proportion of the 4,000 units will be manufactured in MCI’s new factory in San Antonio, Chile, ready for the fruit season in South America. The remainder of the order will be fulfilled by MCI’s facility in Qingdao, China.
The total Star Cool order is expected to be completed by December 2016.
