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CMA CGM’s expertise showcased at Europe’s largest fruit trade show
CMA CGM will be present at Fruit Logistica, an event running in Berlin from April 5 to 7, 2022, to showcase its expertise in shipping fruit and vegetables at the largest international event dedicated to fresh produce, as well as shipping and production solutions. The CMA CGM Group, the world’s second largest carrier of refrigerated containers (“Reefers”) with a fleet of 400,000 TEUs (Twenty-feet Equivalent Units), has developed unrivaled expertise. It offers customers unique technological innovations and solutions geared to all their needs.
It’s 7.a.m. and you’re about to tuck into a delicious banana or a fresh mango. Have you ever wondered how the fruit comes to be as fresh and flavorful when you eat it as it was when it was picked?
The fresh produce supply chain is a long and complex process that requires flawless cooperation between all its participants. Strict compliance with food safety standards is essential. But how does it work in practice?
CMA CGM’s Reefer expertise for fruit and vegetable shipments
Monday, March 21, 2022, 7:30 a.m.: as he does every morning, Rojas spends the morning handpicking blueberries on an organic farm in the La Libertad region of Peru. In 2019, Peru became the world’s leading exporter of blueberries. As it’s a very fragile fruit, Rojas is very careful during the picking process to avoid damaging the berries in any way. Once the blueberries have been picked, they are packaged in special 4-ounce/125-gram trays. After packing and palletization, the blueberries are then kept for at least 12h in a refrigerated warehouse at a temperature not exceeding -1 °C, before being loaded into a container. A 40-foot container holds between 17 and 18 tons of blueberries.
CLIMACTIVE controlled atmosphere: freshness guaranteed
12:30 p.m.: the container is loaded up with blueberries then taken by road to the nearest maritime terminal. As a precaution, Sergio, a stevedore at the port terminal, checked out with his teammates the atmospheric conditions inside the container thanks to a natural process using atmospheric air.
The journey from Peru to the United States may take several weeks, so it’s crucial to make sure the cold chain is assured throughout.
To keep Rojas’ blueberries fresh during their journey, CMA CGM employs a unique technology that maintains an optimum atmosphere inside the container by controlling the level of CO2, nitrogen, oxygen, etc. This solution keeps the maturation process of produce at bay, extends its shelf life and preserves their quality.
7:30 p.m.: the CMA CGM vessel carrying the refrigerated cargo leaves the port terminal bound for the United States.
SMART reefer container – an online container for refrigerated cargo
Throughout the journey, Nicholas, the customer who arranged for the fruit from his Peruvian supplier to be exported by the Group to the United States, wants to make sure his blueberries have traveled in ideal conditions. He chose the SMART Reefer Visibility service to make certain of this.
This is a system connected up with the refrigerated containers providing an unrivaled level of traceability. This solution tracks the position and status of the refrigerated cargo at every stage of shipping.
COLD TREATMENT service: your fruit travels, but unwanted pests are left behind
Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 6:30 a.m.: after a two-week voyage, the ship reached North America. To avoid any contamination by insects or other parasites, the organic blueberries now need to be treated with the greatest of care.
Many importing countries, such as the United States and China, require a quarantine period to be observed to ensure there are no insects when the fruit arrives. The CMA CGM Group offers its customers the COLD TREATMENT services guaranteeing that any larvae and eggs present in the fruit do not survive. With this solution, fumigation and pesticides are not necessary: the cold treatment process is not harmful to the environment or to human health. The products’ organic farming certification is unaffected.
Thursday, April 21, 2022, 9 a.m.: the blueberries have arrived hitch-free in New York, fresh and tasty for customers on the market stalls. How about a slice of blueberry cake?
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