Cool Cargoes

News and analysis of refrigerated (reefer) cargo transportation, rates, capacity, technology, equipment, lessors, providers

The latest Cool Cargoes News & Analysis

NY-NJ PNCT’s new gates halve reefer turn times

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Oct 15, 2018, 6:03 PM EDT

The new terminal gates at the Port Newark Container Terminal at the Port of New York and New Jersey have helped decrease turn times for trucks moving dry containers by 20 percent, and for refrigerated containers by 50 percent.
North American portsCool Cargoes

Gulftainer plan to quintuple Wilmington, Delaware, port

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Oct 10, 2018, 11:55 AM EDT

Gulftainer has big plans for its Wilmington, Delaware facility. And although port competition abounds, if lower costs and a quick rail or truck trip from Delaware to the New York-Washington, DC hinterlands ensue, shippers would no doubt take notice.
North American portsCool Cargoes

Global slowdown extends from ocean shipping to air cargo

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor | Sep 28, 2018, 10:22 AM EDT

The International Air Transport Association said this slowing growth was coming against a backdrop of rising trade protectionism measures, and wider momentum in global trade was weakening.
Air CargoCool Cargoes

Growing demand to keep ocean reefer rates on the rise

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Sep 27, 2018, 3:51 PM EDT

A series of factors have coalesced, and a key research analyst notes that shippers should not expect price relief soon in this in-demand cargo segment.
Supply ChainCool Cargoes

Cold chains enhance services to meet shippers’ needs

Lara L. Sowinski, Special Correspondent | Sep 25, 2018, 12:08 PM EDT

Cold chain means much more than storage. The Global Cold Chain Alliance has catalogued more than 75 different value-added services currently offered by cold storage providers. And those services represent a substantial revenue stream that would surprise many.
Supply ChainCool Cargoes

BCOs urged to be patient as Wilmington port reopens to trucks

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Sep 24, 2018, 5:10 PM EDT

After being shut down for a week and a half, the Port of Wilmington reopened its gates to truckers on Monday, and the work to reduce and eliminate the backlog of containers from before Hurricane Florence and from vessels discharging since last Thursday continues.
North American portsTransport, trade and regulationCool CargoesTrucking

Fast-changing reefer market offers shippers risks and positives

Lara L. Sowinski, Special Correspondent | Sep 23, 2018, 11:12 AM EDT

The reality of constant change presents opportunities and obstacles in the global reefer market. One example: new markets jockey with trade tensions. How can stakeholders capitalize on market dynamics while mitigating exposure to risk?
Supply ChainCool Cargoes

Analysis: US refrigerated shippers turn to trailer rail transport

Larry Gross | Sep 12, 2018, 11:25 AM EDT

Revenue from 53-foot trailer-on-flat-car (TOFC) moves in the North America is up in a big way this year, so far, through August. But is 53-foot TOFC revenue an accurate leading indicator of overall domestic intermodal demand?
RailCool Cargoes

Maersk deploys electronic cargo tracking for Nepal trade

India Special Correspondent | Sep 6, 2018, 10:11 AM EDT

Electronic seals are considered tamper proof and, as such, the new process enhances supply chain security. In addition, as the process eliminates the need for physical, on-site inspection by customs officials, it can reduce shipper logistics costs.
Container linesLogistics technologyCool Cargoes

India first-half volume jumped 10 percent, on reforms

India Special Correspondent | Sep 4, 2018, 11:17 AM EDT

Maersk, which transports roughly 20 percent of India’s containerized freight, said three factors have essentially combined to drive that impressive, steady growth.
Container linesCool Cargoes

Maersk resumes Maldives operations with Colombo feeder

India Special Correspondent | Aug 16, 2018, 9:33 AM EDT

The world’s largest ocean carrier has reopened shipping connectivity to the Maldives with a direct, weekly feeder link between Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Male, which it believes will prove to be a boon for trade to/from South Asia.
Container linesCool Cargoes

APM Terminals enhancing fluidity with new refrigerated peel-off pile

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Aug 15, 2018, 5:44 PM EDT

Shippers will likely see a substantial benefit from a new refrigerated container option for a peel-off pile program at the Port of New York and New Jersey.
Marine terminalsNorth American portsCool Cargoes

Global air cargo slowdown intensifies amid trade tension

Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent | Aug 8, 2018, 9:41 AM EDT

“Trade wars never produce winners. Governments must remember that prosperity comes from boosting their trade, not barricading economies,” the International Air Transport Association said.
Air cargo forwardingCool Cargoes

European ports hopeful about breakbulk despite geopolitics

Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent | Jul 12, 2018, 2:42 PM EDT

After a mixed performance in 2017, Europe’s top breakbulk ports face a complicated 2018, despite above-trend European GDP growth, due to the threat posed by tariffs and the reinstatement of sanctions against Iran.
Breakbulk shippingCool CargoesTransport, trade and regulation

Carriers eye higher prices on reefer demand, tighter capacity

Lara L. Sowinski, Special Correspondent | Jul 6, 2018, 2:17 PM EDT

With supply and demand in more of a balance, sector analysts say shippers should expect higher reefer rates.
Supply ChainCool Cargoes

Reefer stakeholders demand better tech, customer service

Lara L. Sowinski, Special Correspondent | Jul 6, 2018, 1:31 PM EDT

Better tech and service may be up ahead. A global head of reefer management for a major ocean carrier predicted that shipping is moving toward a “new era of customer focus” with an emphasis on “creating products that actually add value to customers’ supply chains.”
Cool Cargoes

Maersk further expands India cold chain services

India Special Correspondent | Jul 5, 2018, 11:16 AM EDT

The Europe-based ocean carrier has created another specialized, end-to-end cold chain logistics operation, as it works vigorously to establish a stronger foothold in the emerging market economy.
Container linesCool Cargoes

Tangier Lobster’s winning strategy — a logistics plan ensuring freshness

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent | Jun 1, 2018, 3:39 PM EDT

Nova Scotia-based Tangier Lobster does not cut corners nor does it nickel and dime transport providers. “We will pay extra for the very best logistics options because we have extremely valuable cargo and do not want to disappoint our customers,” Owner Stewart Lamont said.
Supply ChainAir CargoCool Cargoes

Europe feeders adapt to shippers' reefer, clean air demands

Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent | May 11, 2018, 2:50 PM EDT

The synchronized, regional recovery that’s boosted global container shipping has also ramped-up short-sea container volumes to the benefit of Europe’s feeder ship sector. Still, the good times are hardly problem-free and there are hurdles ahead.
Container linesCool Cargoes

Insurance sensor policy simplifies shipper damage claims

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | May 8, 2018, 5:45 PM EDT

With cool cargo volumes increasing, sensors are performing a function beyond temperature monitoring for product quality’s sake.
Supply ChainCool Cargoes

Top Canadian cargo airports attract new services, focus on speed

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent | May 7, 2018, 9:00 AM EDT

Air cargo is changing — no longer is tonnage the sole, ultimate metric. Air cargo companies and the airports that serve them must be entrepreneurial-minded to meet the needs of transit-time, cost-sensitive shippers with their high-value cargo, and so far, three key Canadian hubs are meeting the bill.
Air CargoCool Cargoes

Itaqui port targets poultry and beef exports to regain volume

Rob Ward, Brazil Special Correspondent | May 2, 2018, 1:32 PM EDT

Port managers want to re-brand the locale in a new, distinct role, with an eye toward two key markets.
International portsCool CargoesContainer lines

Maersk extends India cold chain network, adds Chennai facility

India Special Correspondent | Apr 18, 2018, 12:24 PM EDT

The transportation giant this week inaugurated a new cold storage center within its container freight station site at Ponneri, on the outskirts of Chennai in South India.
Container linesCool Cargoes

US-China trade tariff drama undermining air cargo confidence

Greg Knowler, Europe Editor | Apr 5, 2018, 7:50 AM EDT

The year is off to a good start in terms of air cargo volume, but the trade dispute between the United States and China is making confident predictions for 2018 difficult.
Air CargoCool Cargoes

Yilport eyes Gulfport as entrance to North America terminal market

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Apr 4, 2018, 10:33 AM EDT

Yilport, which signed a memorandum of understanding with the Mississippi State Port Authority in February, is promising to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the state’s Port of Gulfport, which it says has the potential to feed volume, particularly refrigerated goods, between Gulfport and Yilport terminals in Ecuador and Peru.
Cool Cargoes

Maersk India's cold chain logistics expands shippers’ reach

India Special Correspondent | Apr 3, 2018, 9:13 AM EDT

Maersk India has substantially expanded its end-to-end cold chain service to and from India, which has enabled domestic reefer shippers to venture into new locales.
Container linesCool Cargoes

As US truck capacity tightens, reefer shippers board the rails

Lara L. Sowinski | Feb 23, 2018, 2:21 PM EST

An end-to-end protective service for perishable, refrigerated goods and seafood in natural-water-environment containers is the cold chain railroad model, and its deployers argue they can grab reefer market share from other transport modes.
RailLogistics technologyCool CargoesTrucking

Reefer container shortage to persist in 2018

Lara L. Sowinski | Feb 22, 2018, 3:26 PM EST

<p>The emerging digital supply chain is offering shippers improved reefer container tracking, as well as better control / management of the cargo's condition. But a decade of reefer underinvestment and an accelerating global economy has led to a shortage of reefer containers.</p>
Air CargoLogistics technologyCool Cargoes

Shippers embrace Maersk reefer tracker

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Jan 11, 2018, 4:12 PM EST

Maersk initially set up the program for its own needs and used it to, for example, monitor the temperature of each box and change it if it was too low or high, and also to track the maintenance needs.
Cool CargoesLogistics technologyContainer lines

Wilmington, NC, able to complete refrigeration on-dock

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Dec 12, 2017, 10:06 AM EST

Wilmington is the first to be able to accept goods that are still midway through the refrigeration process.
North American portsTransport, trade and regulationCool Cargoes

Strong fruit exports keep Brazil-Europe rates elevated

Rob Ward, Brazil Special Correspondent | Nov 17, 2017, 3:28 PM EST

“We have seen freight rates remain fairly steady over the past year.”
Container linesCool Cargoes

Program to help Virginia attract Latin America reefer imports

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Oct 12, 2017, 4:24 PM EDT

Virginia joins Miami, South Carolina, Port Everglades, Tampa, Jacksonville, Port Manatee, and Savannah in the program.
North American portsCool CargoesTransport, trade and regulation

Maersk expects India market to accelerate after slowdown

Special Indian Correspondent | Oct 4, 2017, 9:29 AM EDT

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) rollout in July dampened growth in the first half.
Container linesCool Cargoes

Savannah perishable volume triples on Wal-Mart rerouting

Reynolds Hutchins, Associate Editor | Oct 2, 2017, 10:04 AM EDT

Since mid-2016, when PortFresh Logistics opened a 100,000-square-foot cold-treatment facility, chilled imports through the port have surged nearly 300 percent.
Cool Cargoes

Shippers explore options in growing wine market

Lara L. Sowinski | Oct 1, 2017, 9:00 AM EDT

Wine shipping and proper handling with regard to cold chain integrity remains fragmented, presenting challenges and opportunities for the wine industry and consumers alike.
Cool Cargoes

Reefer container scarcity set to heat up rates

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Sep 27, 2017, 11:54 AM EDT

A scarcity of refrigerated containers has helped push up average temperature-controlled freight rates, which are set to rise further once peak season begins in the final quarter of the year.
Cool Cargoes

US reefer BCOs gain new capacity, transport options

Lara L. Sowinski | Sep 25, 2017, 4:20 PM EDT

New cold storage facilities and multimodal transportation options offer BCOs flexibility for efficient handling of perishable goods.
Cool Cargoes

Production decline leads to fears of reefer box shortage

Hugh R. Morley, Senior Editor | Sep 19, 2017, 5:14 PM EDT

“What we have seen this first half of this year is a massive reefer container shortage.”
Cool CargoesContainer linesMarine terminals

Maersk expands Indian temperature-controlled service

India Special Correspondent | Aug 31, 2017, 6:57 AM EDT

Maersk Line is ramping up its end-to-end cold chain service to and from India.
Container linesCool Cargoes

Reefer service to Qatar added to give blockade relief

Dustin Braden, Shipper Relationship Manager | Aug 22, 2017, 3:10 PM EDT

“Trade volumes between Qatar and Turkey have significantly increased over the past few months.”
Logistics technologyBreakbulk shippingCool Cargoes