Hapag-Lloyd Adds 6,000 Reefer Containers
(Photo: Hapag-Lloyd)
A controller, which acts like a small computer, monitors and controls the operation of the reefer. (Photo: Hapag-Lloyd)
In order to profit from the growing reefer markets in South America and Asia, Hapag-Lloyd has ordered 6,000 cutting-edge reefer containers – more than ever before in the company’s history.
Hapag-Lloyd is gearing up for the temperature-sensitive cargo business in the important South American market. The liner shipping company is already operating the fourth-largest reefer container fleet in the world. In August, Hapag-Lloyd ordered 6,000 more reefers, all of them of the latest generation. They are now being incrementally integrated into the container fleet.
Hapag-Lloyd uses the reefer containers to ship a variety of temperature-sensitive cargo including fruit, vegetables, pharmaceuticals, meat and fish. The advantage of the reefer is that a computer uses sensors to continually control the temperature inside the containers, and to operate special temperature programs that are set up before the shipment begins – so that the cargo is fresh when it arrives at its destination. If necessary, the reefers can also be heated – for example, when cold-sensitive goods are transported across the North Atlantic in winter.
Beyond this, 1,000 of the newly ordered containers feature "controlled-atmosphere" technology, which extends the shelf life of certain kinds of fruits and vegetables without compromising their quality. Fruits such as avocados, for example, are considered to still be “alive” even after they are harvested: Even with adequate refrigeration, they spoil after a certain amount of time. The new technology slows the fruit’s natural ripening process, enabling it to be transported across great distances – for example, from Latin America to Europe.
“Right on time for the opening of the expanded Panama Canal next year, we’re ideally equipped with the optimal fleet for the Latin American market, which is so important in the reefer business,” Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen says regarding the new containers. Latin America is one of the world’s strongest reefer markets.
This April, Hapag-Lloyd ordered five new 10,500-TEU ships especially for this market. The new ships are equipped with an especially large number of power connections for reefer containers.
In addition to that of South America, Hapag-Lloyd is also focused on the fast-growing Asian reefer market. For this reason, a team of experts from the liner shipping company will showcase its know-how for reliably transporting fresh fruit and vegetables at this year’s ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA. The specialized trade fair, which numbers among the most important for the international trade in fresh fruit and vegetables, will be held from September 2 to 4 in Hong Kong.
