New reefer doors from Maersk

In an interview with WorldCargo News, Maersk Container Industry (MCI) chief commercial officer Søren Johannsen was highly optimistic about the prospects for the reefer container industry in 2018. The lull in the reefer market felt during 2016 continued into the first six months of 2017, with the notable exception of Maersk Line, which continued to place orders. In the second half of this year, however, other lines resumed ordering, and the year finished strongly, with MCI on target to build 105,

After testing the management of fresh mangoes in Star Cool reefer containers with Maersk Container Industry’s (MCI) Controlled Atmosphere (CA) system last year, Africa Express Line (AEL) has taken delivery of 500 new reefers equipped with the system.

Remote reefer monitoring is slowly but surely coming to the container shipping sector, but the technology is in its relative infancy, and it can take time to implement.

Dry freight container manufacturers have faced a difficult 2017, with the challenge of switching to waterborne paints coinciding with a sharp upswing in demand.

The current outlook for reefer manufacturing is increasingly upbeat, after more than a year of uncertainty and weak demand.

Hapag-Lloyd has announced an order for 7,000 x 40ft and 700 x 20ft new reefer containers. “1,000 of the new containers are equipped with the company’s controlled atmosphere (CA) technology, which slows down the ripening process of various types of fruits and vegetables, allowing them to be transported for longer periods of time, while maintaining a consistent quality,” the company stated.