It almost goes without saying that the shipping lines’ primary goal is preserving the quality of an array of perishables for extended shipping distance, but almost all of the innovations in recent years provide benefits that translate into fuel savings and a proportionate reduction in emissions related to onboard power generation.

For those reasons, when Hamburg Sud recently added 400 reefer containers to its fleet, it specified that they come equipped with Carrier Transicold’s XtendFRESH atmosphere control system.

The new systems were introduced into service to support avocado exporters shipping from the west coast of South America to Asia, North America and Europe.

“Avocados are a significant market and initially will be the main target of utilization,” said Martin Schoeler, senior manager of logistics-technology for Hamburg Sud, who added that banana exports beyond thirty days also would benefit.

The new XtendFRESH slows the ripening of perishable cargo by actively managing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels within reefer containers, and removing ethylene, a gas released by fruits and vegetables that can cause other produce to become spotted, soft or mealy, according to a Carrier Transicold spokesman.

Prior to its purchase of the technology, Hamburg Sud commissioned independent testing on the XtendFRESH technology by Eurofins, using bananas shipped from Latin America to Scandinavia. Once it arrived in Europe, the produce was inspected for freshness and water content, among other attributes.

During the journey, a patented, self-regenerating activated-carbon scrubber assembly captured ethylene and controlled carbon dioxide levels. As oxygen was consumed by ripening produce, automated, on-demand fresh-air ventilation helped maintain the optimum level for the cargo inside.

The results of the test were all the convincing Hamburg Sud needed to jump at incorporating the technology into its fleet.

Source: Journal of Commerce via HortiBiz