Cool Cargo News

The Journal of Commerce’s reefer shipping news and analysis covers refrigerated cargo transportation, rates, reefer cargo weight capacity, technology, equipment, lessors and providers.

The latest Cool Cargo News News & Analysis

US reefer BCOs gain new capacity, transport options

Lara L. Sowinski |
New cold storage facilities and multimodal transportation options offer BCOs flexibility for efficient handling of perishable goods.
Cool Cargo News

Production decline leads to fears of reefer box shortage

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor |
“What we have seen this first half of this year is a massive reefer container shortage.”
Cool Cargo NewsContainer linesMarine terminals

Maersk expands Indian temperature-controlled service

India Special Correspondent |
Maersk Line is ramping up its end-to-end cold chain service to and from India.
Container linesCool Cargo News

Reefer service to Qatar added to give blockade relief

Dustin Braden, Shipper Relationship Manager |
“Trade volumes between Qatar and Turkey have significantly increased over the past few months.”
Logistics Technology NewsBreakbulk NewsCool Cargo News

Kuehne + Nagel buys US, Kenya perishable forwarders

Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent |
The Swiss global logistics group said the acquisitions have added more than 150,000 tons to its global perishables network.
Logistics Technology NewsCool Cargo News

CMA CGM and Seatrade target reefer trade via vessel sharing

Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent |
The service will link Northern Europe, the US East Coast, Central America, the Pacific islands, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, and the Caribbean on a weekly basis.
Cool Cargo News

No rapid rise of US beef exports to China expected as market opens

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor |
The first consignment of US beef to be imported by China in 14 years is just days away from arriving in the country.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsCool Cargo News

China’s growing cold chain needs better industry standards

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor |
China’s cold chain is growing at a phenomenal rate.
Logistics Technology NewsCool Cargo NewsTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

LA port and GE evaluating information portal results

Lara L. Sowinski |
The maritime shipping sector is a perfect candidate to test an information portal.
MaritimeCool Cargo News

Proliferation of shipping data raises questions of ownership

Lara L. Sowinski |
Access to real-time data is extremely useful to carriers, BCOs, and others, but a consensus has yet to emerge on who owns the data.
ForwardingLogistics Technology NewsCool Cargo News

Supply chain risks a threat to reefer cargoes

Lara L. Sowinski |
Food and beverage shipments are two of the main targets of cargo theft in Latin America.
Cool Cargo News

Reefer shippers fear carrier service may decline

Lara L. Sowinski |
Analysts say the introduction of larger ships could diminish service levels.
Cool Cargo NewsContainer lines

Maersk targets Indian fruit shipments

India Special Correspondent |
Maersk Line India in a trade advisory said the one-stop freight link from cargo origins is more economical and reliable than air cargo transportation.
Container linesCool Cargo News

SSA Pacific extends LA reefer breakbulk lease

Joseph Bonney, Senior Editor |
The Port of Los Angeles is the US West Coast gateway for Chilean fruit.
North American portsBreakbulk NewsCool Cargo News

Lineage Logistics buys European cold chain specialist

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The acquisition of Partner Logistics in the Netherlands expands Lineage's reach and aids its pursuit of automated warehousing.
Logistics Technology NewsCool Cargo News

Moving melons powers growth at Brazilian port of Pecem

Rob Ward, Brazil Special Correspondent |
Strong fruit exports, especially melons, are driving growth at the northeast Brazilian port of Pecem this year.
International portsCool Cargo News

Eimskip snaps up Danish freight forwarder

Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent |
SHIP-LOG’s management team will retain 25 percent of the company’s shares and will manage its operations.
Container linesCool Cargo News

Brazil poultry shippers in a flap over Itajai port closure

Rob Ward, Brazil Special Correspondent |
Shippers could face losses that run into tens of millions of dollars.
International portsCool Cargo News

Hapag-Lloyd ends free gensets for US reefer shippers

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor |
Hapag-Lloyd joins group of carriers that charge for refrigerated container gensets.
Marine terminalsContainer linesCool Cargo News

Brazilian beef ban eased as stranded shipments clog Santos

Rob Ward, Special Correspondent |
Hong Kong, China, Egypt, and Chile have modified their all-out ban of Brazilian beef exports to focus only on rejecting shipments from 21 packing plants.
Cool Cargo News

PIL eyes Indian cold chain growth with joint venture

India Special Correspondent |
The two partners will coordinate their resources to provide cold chain logistics solutions.
Cool Cargo News

As market heats up, Roadrunner merges refrigerated carriers

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Adding density by merging separate refrigerated subsidiaries gave Roadrunner market leverage.
TruckloadCool Cargo News

Cold chain interests committed to investments

Lara L. Sowinski |
Ports, carriers, and cold storage providers are committed to ongoing investments, including infrastructure, equipment, technology, and personnel.
Cool Cargo News

Traditional reefer carriers tout specialty services

Lara L. Sowinski |
Container carriers have made steady gains in the global reefer market, but conventional reefer carriers find success through specialty services.
Cool Cargo News

Maersk: Data digitalization has ‘humongous’ potential

Joseph Bonney, Senior Editor |
A trial shipment completed last week between North Europe and the East Coast of North America is a sign of digitalization’s potential.
Container linesCool Cargo News

Lack of transparency hampers containerized cold chain

Lara L. Sowinski |
The largest pain point yet to resolve in refrigerated shipping is the lack of data and transparency in managing the end-to-end cold chain, the former head of Maersk Line's reefer business says.
Cool Cargo NewsContainer lines

Florida sea-air perishable transshipment begins

JOC Staff |
Central American producers to expand their markets by extending the shelf lives of perishable shipments.
Container linesCool Cargo News

Philly aims to lure discretionary cargo from NE rivals

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor |
The Port of Philadelphia is taking aim at discretionary cargo moving through northeastern competitors.
North American portsCool Cargo News

Eimskip acquisition spree continues

Dustin Braden, Shipper Relationship Manager |
Eimskip’s acquisition spree continued this week with the purchase of a Belgian refrigerated freight forwarder.
Container linesCool Cargo News

UP asset acquisitions strengthen reefer capabilities

Dustin Braden, Shipper Relationship Manager |
Union Pacific Railroad will gain control of assets throughout the United States as a result of its deal with Railex.
North-American railCool Cargo News

UPS acquisition strengthens pharmaceutical logistics

JOC Staff |
UPS’s acquisition of Marken, a third-party logistics provider specializing in health care, will bolster UPS’s pharmaceutical logistics services.
Logistics Technology NewsCool Cargo News

Container competition hits Star Reefers

Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent |
Star Reefers sank into the red in the third quarter as the Norwegian refrigerated shipping line faced intense pressure from container lines.
Cool Cargo NewsContainer lines

Seatrade reefer box order underscores demand strength

Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent |
Seatrade's order underscores the strength of the reefer market.
Container linesCool Cargo News

Eimskip acquisition spree continues with reefer forwarder

JOC Staff |
Eimskip’s acquisition spree continues with the purchase of a Netherlands-based forwarder.
Container linesCool Cargo News

Flower shippers latest to test maritime cold chain

Reynolds Hutchins, Associate Editor |
The world’s largest trading center for plants and flowers is experimenting with refrigerated ocean containers.
Cool Cargo NewsContainer linesAir Cargo

Shippers, carriers share the risk in keeping foods safe

Lara L. Sowinski |
Transporting food, pharmaceuticals, and other temperature-controlled products requires compliance with increasingly stringent regulations to assure consumer safety. At the same time, superior cold chain practices are also important for maintaining the quality of products and maximizing shelf life.
Cool Cargo NewsTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

Thermal blankets offer reefer goods security, longer rail transits

Lara L. Sowinski |
Thermal blankets not only add a very important layer of security during multiple hand-offs along the cold chain, but also expand transportation options, including the increased use of rail.
Cool Cargo News

Growing perishables trade driving huge reefer box orders

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor |
The refrigerated trade is a lone bright spot in a global liner shipping industry that is struggling to find profitability.
Cool Cargo NewsContainer linesMarine terminals

SeaLand adds Hueneme to west coast Central America service

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
SeaLand announced Monday it has added the Port of Hueneme, California, to its weekly west coast Central America service.
Container linesCool Cargo News

US agriculture exports remain promising despite some barriers

Lara Sowinski |
What happens at the farm level is monitored carefully for the potential impact that will manifest further down the supply chain.
Cool Cargo News