Shipper orders 2,000 CO2 reefers
Global shipping company MSC Mediterranean Shipping is to lease 2,000 containers using Carrier Transicold’s NaturaLINE CO2 refrigeration system.
Carrier Transicold announced that its NaturaLINE CO2 container refrigeration units – the first of their kind on the reefer market – could achieve and maintain a temperature of -40ºC last year. This was achieved by refining the reefer’s control logic to take full advantage of the unit’s design and the thermal attributes of the CO2 refrigerant.
Headquartered in Geneva, MSC is the world’s second-largest shipping line in terms of container vessel capacity.
Commenting on the order, Giuseppe Prudente, MSC’s chief logistics officer, said: “By providing higher level of performance in the -40ºC deep-frozen range, we can add new capabilities for our growing customer base, particularly for seafood and other high-value frozen commodities. Moreover, shipping is already one of the most environmentally sustainable forms of cargo transportation, and we are pleased to continue to improve our environmental performance by equipping our fleet with the latest green technologies.”
MSC’s new refrigerated containers – all 40-foot high-cube models – are being leased through SeaCube Containers LLC.
“In taking leadership to provide a natural-refrigerant solution, Carrier Transicold created what is perhaps the most sound investment a leasing company and shipping line can make – a refrigerated container that will not become obsolete in its lifetime due to pressures from environmental legislation,” said Robert Sappio, CEO, SeaCube. “By fulfilling the NaturaLINE unit’s first order of this magnitude, SeaCube is pleased to be part of this important development for the shipping industry.”
MSC will begin taking delivery of its new containers from SeaCube later in the year. The units will be supported by Carrier Transicold’s global service network.