Trial shipment
gets the
thumbs up
Ray Smuts
PETER Ehrenreich, Maersk Sealand's general manager for the Cape, is only too aware of the the Japanese consumer's predilection for South African citrus, a potentially lucrative market on which he intends focusing in the year ahead.
Ehrenreich is au fait with Japanese business culture by virtue of several years in that country.
Then there is the prospect of doing business with a number of major North American fruit exporters whose 'turf' includes the Far East.
In conversation with FTW last week, Ehrenreich disclosed he had had consultations with four American exporters in Cape Town earlier this year with a view to exporting citrus in reefer containers via Maersk Sealand to the Far East.
Their brief is to source fruit on behalf of Japanese customers for direct shipment to Japan and it is clear they are determined to do business in South Africa.
Last season, a trial Maersk citrus shipment of 18 containers was hailed as a huge success in the Land of the Rising Sun.
The shipment utilised what is known in shipping terms as Cold Treatment for which a
container is run at 31F for 12 days to eliminate potential pests such as fruit fly after which the temperature is increased to between 39F and 45F depending on the type of citrus.
Japan is a huge potential market where only conventional reefer ships were allowed in the past and we are very excited at prospects, as is the entire citrus industry.
I would personally like to see at least 200 container loads of citrus to Japan this year. It could be more, it could be less, depending on what other exporters do, but citrus exports are clearly on the way up as far as containerised shipments are concerned.
Last year, South Africa exported 861 000 pallets of citrus in containerised and break bulk vessels, accounting for 45% of total fruit exports.
Ehrenreich says Maersk Sealand's overall goal is to ensure that all assets are used optimally, from vessel space to availability of reefer containers in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Durban in order to cater for the growing demand.
In spite of tight vessel space - and consequently restricted plug point capacity - he remains mindful that around 85% of South African perishables are shipped break bulk, creating the opportunity for more integral reefers in future.
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