Keeping a cool head

COOL CARRIERS I PROFILE

The world’s largest operator of specialised reefers, Cool Carriers has played an influential role during the pandemic in maintaining the sea transportation trade of fruits and other perishables. Equipped with the biggest reefer vessels ever built, the E-class, and more on the way by 2023, the company is handily placed to continue dominating its sector for years to come. Profile by Andy Probert.

COOL CARRIERS I PROFILE

Cool Carriers is a company very much in demand. With its 50-strong fleet of reefers dotted around the globe, it can proudly label itself as one of the key leaders in the logistics chain, ensuring the ocean delivery of fresh fruit and other perishables irrespective of pandemic lockdowns and limitations.

Spearheading this dynamic flotilla are three of the biggest specialised reefers ever built – the E-class series. Cool Express, Cool Explorer and Cool Eagle are presently attached to the leading global banana company, Chiquita, to cover service provision between Central America and North Europe.

With options for another three reefers of a similar build, set to be delivered in 202324, Cool Carriers is more than primed to maximise its global trading and dominate the world’s reefer logistics sector.

“We keep focusing on what we do best: remaining as the leading specialised reefer shipping company in the world and being the specialist’s specialist,” declared Glenn Selling, the company’s Chief Operating Officer.

Following the closing of Swedish shipping company Salénrederierna in the 1980s, its reefer division was bought out, and Cool Carriers was established in 1984. Since then, the company has changed owners a few times but maintained its leading position in the specialised reefer industry.

Its last iteration, Swedish-based refrigerated shipping specialist NYKCool, along with its reefer fleet, was acquired in 2014 by Baltic Reefers. The company’s original name was restored – Cool Carriers AB.

Flexible and direct

Cool Carriers has retained its headquarters in Sweden, and has representations in Chile, Cyprus, South Africa, and the USA. It is also supported by a worldwide agency network.

“We are fast, flexible and deliver direct transportation on a global scale. We offer tailor-made services that add enormous value to our customers, such as producers, exporters and importers, while acting as strong links in their logistics chains,” Mr Selling explained.

At any given moment, Cool Carriers’ fleet could be shipping deciduous produce from Chile to the US; citrus fruits from South Africa to North Europe and Japan, or from Argentina and Uruguay to the Western Mediterranean and Northern Europe; bananas from South America worldwide a and kiwifruit from New Zealand to the Med.

The fleet also transports clementines and oranges from Morocco; vegetables from Europe to West Africa; fish from Alaska, Asia and North Atlantic; and specialist transportation cargo from the Baltic to Latin America and Africa.

Newest fleet additions

While the fleet consists of 50 ships and are operated in all major reefer trades, the three newest additions – brought on stream in 2018, 2019 and 2021 – are considered Cool Carriers’ added muscle.

The newest, Cool Eagle, is one of six, all being built by Japan’s Shikoku Dockyard. The 190m long Panama-flagged vessel comes in at 21,900 DWT, has a container capacity of 340 FEUs and a temperaturecontrolled capacity of 905,950 cubic feet, making it the world’s largest-ever reefer.

Glenn Selling, Chief Operating Officer

COOL CARRIERS I PROFILE

It can carry about 6,800 high-cube pallets of citrus in 340 reefer containers on deck and 7,400 high-cube-pallets below deck. This equates to 760,000 cartons of bananas, and the vessel can accommodate 60% more fruit than older reefers.

Her maiden voyage in 2021 saw her loaded with 8,300 tonnes of kiwifruit in New Zealand for delivery to the UK and Europe. She has since called in to meet capacity demands of South Africa’s increasing citrus exports, which are expected to reach a record-breaking 163 million cartons.

Mr Selling confirmed: “We are anticipating the additional three E-class reefers in 2023 to 2025 while looking to continue to expand with smaller vessels, whether they be second-hand or new builds.”

Clients increasingly value the transport solutions offered by Cool Carriers, helping them to maintain product quality, increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Understanding customers’ needs

“We strongly believe in understanding our customers’ needs to consistently meet their requirements. We consider ourselves a partner rather than a supplier,” Mr Selling added, noting it was a proud service provider to kiwifruit supplier Zespri.

Backing up these commitments, Cool Carriers is a founder member of the 360 Quality Association, a set of voluntary standards for specialised reefer shipping lines and service providers.

The 360 Quality Code not only brings transparency to the supply chain of perishables but aims to meet customers’ needs by promoting the highest quality and cargo care standards on reefers, in port terminals, liner trades and container depots.

Mr Selling reflected that when the pandemic began, “our vessels were probably the safest spots on this planet.” He added: “For various local reasons and regulations, crews remained on board and stevedores did their job and never met the crew.

“The result was that most countries could maintain necessary export/import even during the most severe Covid-19 periods. It was, however, extremely exhausting for crews having to remain onboard for periods far beyond normal because countries did not permit crew changes.”

He said the company had witnessed continued business growth even through the pandemic as a shortage of container vessels had seen more people turning to the reefer market for their transportation solutions.

Challenges such as spiralling bunker costs and finding terminals to accommodate the company’s growing fleet of specialised reefer vessels remained areas of concern. He explained: “Terminals have

become so containerised; they don’t have the staff or equipment to handle our reefer cargoes. The West Coast of America being an example.”

Cool Carriers follows international rules and regulations to minimise its carbon footprint. “That means we equip vessels with scrubbers, and we otherwise run vessels on low sulphur bunkers. Specialised reefers do have less carbon footprint per transported carton, compared to the container lines.”

Set to flourish further

Still, the company has maintained an excellent customer care record, developing close business relationships, having quick decisions lines, and understanding each client’s core business.

“Cool Carriers has a record of delivering what has been agreed,” underlined Mr Selling. “In addition to being the leading operator, we focus on the larger segment of specialised reefers.

He observed: “The industry for specialised reefers will remain, with ups and downs created by competition from container lines, climate changes and political conflicts. But the pandemic has taught countries to single exporters, the value of the flexibility of specialised reefers. A fact that will be remembered for some time.”

In conclusion, Mr Selling commented: “Remaining fast, direct and dedicated, Cool Carriers will certainly remain, and support the industry for many years to come.” n COOL CARRIERS I PROFILE