In August of this year, MSC announced that it successfully loaded its first shipment of table grapes from Spain to Vietnam.
The grapes were loaded in Murcia in collaboration with the transport company Mosca Marítimo, using Cold Treatment (CT) protocol.
MSC is the leading carrier for implementing Cold Treatment in the Spanish market, and the first in the country to ship table grapes from Spain to Vietnam.
Cold Treatment is a chemical-free procedure that eliminates pests in fresh fruit that has the potential to damage the biodiversity and agricultural industries of importing countries.
During the process, the fruit is maintained at a specific temperature for a set period. This can vary depending on the type of fruit and the country of origin.
Grapes offer a wealth of health benefits due to their high nutrient and antioxidant content. The global consumption of fresh table grapes is increasing every year, especially in Asia, the Middle-East, and Russia.
It implies that producers and importers require a swift and reliable service that facilitates transporting the fruit to consumers' plates.
Reefer Technologies
MSC has invested significantly in reefer technologies that ensure fruits reach their destination in the best quality, preserving their freshness and firmness.
With 1.6 million TEU annual reefer shipments in 2018, MSC is a world leader in reefer cargo services, continually investing in the best-refrigerated transport solutions for all kinds of fruit and vegetables.
Customers have a wide range of reefer technologies at their disposal according to their needs.
The controlled atmosphere (CA) technology developed to limit fruit ripening and extend shelf-life, and the most recently introduced Star Cool CA system are among the sophisticated, advanced reefer technology used by MSC’s customers to transport fruit cargo over longer distances while preserving their quality.
CA is an active process to regulate atmosphere composition to extend the shelf-life, maintain the appearance, freshness, and quality of perishable products.
The technology helps fruit and vegetables to reach new destinations with longer transit times as it slows the natural ripening process by reducing the oxygen (O2) concentration and increasing the carbon dioxide (CO2) to reduce and remove the ethylene.
New Opportunities For Fruit Exporters, Importers
Through consultations with customers and continuous investment in the latest technology, MSC has been able to customise its service offering to help fruit producers and exporters reach new markets near and far.
MSC made its first melon shipments from Spain to Asia and helped avocado producers from countries like Chile, Peru, and Israel to export to different parts of Europe using the CA technology.
In addition to shipping service, the company offers tailor-made, end-to-end transport solutions across road and rail to ensure efficiency and an uninterrupted cold chain for the product, using standardised control procedure to maintain freshness.
With more than 1,000 reefer experts, available 24/7 worldwide and continuously trained in the latest standards and technologies, MSC also offers pre-trip consultancy, providing recommendations for temperature, ventilation, humidity, and carbon dioxide settings.
Customers are guided in the best postharvest practices, pre-cooling of the cargo, packaging and container stuffing, and take care of seasonal requirements.
MSC Reefer MasterClass
Lastly, MSC offers customers the opportunity to learn more about the latest reefer technology and how it keeps cargo fresh at the MSC Reefer MasterClass.
Organised upon request, MSC Reefer MasterClass combines theory with practical demonstrations and can be arranged.
Trainers take a special look at different types of technology-based applications, according to the storage and transportation requirements of a variety of cargo.
They provide practical demonstrations of the equipment to be used and also assess recent market developments and new business opportunities featuring real-life case studies, trials, and successes.
Participants have the chance to meet representatives from the entire supply chain, to understand all the benefits of this equipment from all perspectives, including directly from the manufacturers themselves.
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