Maersk completed its first successful shipped-mangoes operation from Nhava Sheva in Mumbai to London’s Felixstowe. Exporter Bombay Exports, exported 21 tonnes of Kesar and Badami mangoes into the time-frame of three weeks via Maersk’s reefer containers that use advance Remote Container Management (RCM) technology and container atmosphere technology.
Maersk highlighted that the success of this shipment opens up a new path towards shipping perishable goods, that in the past would require faster, more expensive, air freight solutions.
Accordingly, air freight cost rose by 25-30% in April 2019, due to the stagnation of cargo flights.
Steve Felder, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia commented
With the difficulties in air freight in the current scenario, approximately 200 metric tonnes of air exports of fruits and other perishables are being impacted every week, leading to a huge loss of produce.
He continued that Europe’s increasing demand for mangoes pushed the company to leverage its technology in preserving reefers.
Through this shipment, we were also able to strengthen our relationship with government bodies, including the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
In the early days of 2019, AP Moller-Maersk joined Traxens, an IoT technology developer that launched a device that can track the location of reefers, detect shocks, check temperature and humidity and generate alarms.
Concluding, with 700 FFE’s (Forty-Foot Equivalent unit) exported per year through Maersk, Bombay Exports is one of the largest refrigerated container exporters out of India for the company. In addition, the importer, Ahmed Exotic Ltd. was satisfied to receive the consignment in the right conditions.
