Ray Smuts
IN WHAT is seen as one of the most significant moves in the hard-hit reefer industry, Denmark's Lauritzen Reefers and Sweden's Cool Cariers have joined forces to create by far the world's largest reefer operation the Maersk Sealand of the reefer sector.
In the deal, effective January 1, 2001, J Lauritzen A/S acquired Leif Hoegh & Co. ASA (LHC) subsidiary Cool Carriers (including Arctic) for US$35,4 million of which the sales gain for LHC amounts to approximately US$ 20 million.
Cool Carriers and Arctic represent the commercial operation of Unicool Ltd, the largest independent reefer operator in the world.
The new operation will be centred around the Stockholm-based Leonini pool and the Arctic Reefers pool launched by Cool Carriers which will employ around 25 conventional pallet-friendly ships operating from Copenhagen.
The combined entity will operate around 90 reefer vessels commercially.
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