Dedicated to creating more sustainable shipping practices, the world renowned banana producer is further bolstering its fleet or Star Cool Integrated containers and adding more controlled atmosphere systems to deliver premium banana quality.
The new batch of 2500 Star Cool Integrated containers from Maersk Container Industry (MCI) will be deployed in Chiquita Brands International’s (Chiquita) shipping services. Of the batch, 1000 integrated containers are equipped with MCI’s market-leading Star Cool CA (Controlled Atmosphere) system, which effectively preserves the freshness of bananas during transit.
By controlling the ripening, Star Cool CA ensures an extended transportation window of up to 45 days and the arrival of the produce in perfect condition for a prolonged shelf life in the supermarkets.
Transporting bananas over long distances used to be a challenge. If there is oxygen to consume, the produce will continue to ripen, and it becomes a race against time. With its airtight integrated container design, Star Cool CA precisely balances the atmosphere inside the container and allows shippers to carefully monitor and control the amount of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen.
Chiquita is both a leading producer of bananas and an operator of its own substantial shipping fleet through the premier ocean carrier, Great White Fleet Ltd. President Stefano Di Paolo says, “From shipment to shipment, each load can be carefully controlled based on the needs of the cargo. This is essential to deliver best quality bananas to our customers and allows for a transportation window of up to 45 days. The CA technology is robust, effective and easy to control based on each individual shipment.”
The well-proven Star Cool CA concept ensures safe operation and fast oxygen pull down. This reduces the speed of the ripening to a minimum, allowing for extended travel distances, optimal freshness and longer shelf life without using supplementary third-party solutions.
“We are very proud that Chiquita has once again selected Star Cool containers to optimise its fruit logistics and help deliver high-quality bananas to the consumers,” says Søren Leth Johannsen, Chief Commercial Officer, MCI. “When you say Chiquita, you think bananas, a challenging fruit to transport over longer distances. Therefore, we’re very pleased that Chiquita has found first-hand that Star Cool CA is a robust and reliable solution for banana shipping.”