Safmarine;Refrigerated container use heats up

Wednesday, 06 August 2008 09:41

The global percentage of refrigerated container-use will rise every year to represent 60% of all global refrigerated transport by 2015, says international shipping company Safmarine. The company says that this can be attributed to

the average age of a bulk vessel is between 15 and 25 years old and very few new refrigerated bulk ships are being built. As a member of the international diversified AP Moller-Maersk group, Safmarine is constantly innovating its fleet by introducing new vessels. Transportation is an essential part of the South African fruit and vegetable trade.

The company is constantly adapting to suit the needs and requirements of exporters and growers. An example of this is the introduction of specialised equipment such as controlled atmosphere containers that enable fruit and vegetables to be carried into markets that have not been reachable previously, owing to lengthy transit-times.

The South African season starts with grapes moving from December to April while citrus, pears and apples move from March to September. Another strong commodity is avocados, which are shipped between March and September.

However, as South Africa exports such a large variety of fruits and vegetables, Safmarine is required to ship perishables almost all year round, with the exception of late October and November. Overall, fruits and vegetables represent about 50% of total refrigerated goods carried by Safmarine. Fruit and vegetables account for more than three quarters of all refrigerated cargo shipped from South Africa itself.

Safmarine is expanding its north/south and Africa trade services into the east/west trade lanes, with many new trade routes having been added to its service network since becoming part of the AP Moller-Maersk Group.

Source: Engineering News