Fresh Del Monte Produce, Coral Gables, Fla, has added six energy-efficient reefer container ships to its fleet.
The Del Monte Gold is the first in service, traveling from Hong Kong on its way to the Panama Canal, according to a news release. It and the other ships has a capacity of 1,276 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) with 634 electrical plugs for 40-foot high cube reefer containers, which can maintain temperatures down to 13 degrees Fahrenheit.
Helmuth Lutty, senior vice president of shipping operations, said Fresh Del Monte has been working on this goal since 2017.
“As one of the world’s leading producer, marketer and distributer of fresh fruits and vegetables, we have set a very high bar for all the reefer containers and ships in our fleet,” Lutty said in the release. “These six new vessels set the bar even higher, and allow us to deliver the high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables we are known for while meeting our sustainability goals.”
“We have been working towards this goal since 2017 and could not be more excited to see it come to fruition,” said Helmuth Lutty, Senior Vice President of Shipping Operations for Fresh Del Monte Produce. “As one of the world’s leading producer, marketer and distributer of fresh fruits and vegetables, we have set a very high bar for all the reefer containers and ships in our fleet. These six new vessels set the bar even higher, and allow us to deliver the high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables we are known for while meeting our sustainability goals.”
Each Del Monte vessel includes:
- Hull and bow designs for fuel efficiency;
- Hybrid scrubber systems to reduce emissions;
- Shore power connections; and
- Preventive Maintenance System technology for efficient combustion on main and auxiliary engines.
Globally, shipping fruits and vegetables accounts for Fresh Del Monte’s largest energy use, according to Hans Sauter, chief sustainability manager.
“In 2018 we committed to lead by example and reduce our vessel emission by 10%,” he said in the release. “With the addition of these six new container vessels we are well on our way, estimating a savings of nearly 19 thousand metric tons of fuel each year.”
The names of the other new ships are Del Monte Rose, Del Monte Harvester, Del Monte Spirit, Del Monte Valiant and Del Monte Pride.