In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on the fringes of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in the UAE, Carrier Transicold agreed to work with GIZ through the latter’s Greener Reefers in International Maritime Transport initiative. GIF launched this programme in Costa Rica and South Africa earlier this year and it is scheduled to run until April 2026. It has received funding of €2.9M from the International Climate Initiative (IKI), which is one of the key instruments of the German Government to support international climate action and biodiversity. Specifically, IKI supports solution strategies in developing and emerging countries that seek to achieve sustainable change.

The MoU signed between Carrier Transicold and GIZ will focus on training technicians in the two countries to use sustainable reefer solutions and to optimise energy use wherever possible. In particular, in-person trainings will focus on the use of natural refrigerants, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂).

“We are excited to be a part of the Greener Reefers in International Maritime Transport project, and as an industry leader, we are pleased to educate others on the use of natural refrigerant-based technology such as our NaturaLINE™ unit, which incorporates CO₂ in place of conventional synthetic refrigerants,” said Vineet Kashyap, VP and general manager, Global Container Refrigeration at Carrier Transicold.

GIZ is keen to promote its training and educational programmes and views this MoU as another important milestone. “These are exciting times where we are moving the needle on climate progress,” said Philipp Denzinger, Project Manager of GIZ Proklima. “In October, we and Carrier Commercial Refrigeration agreed to set up the first regional CO₂ trans-critical supermarket training centre in East Africa and now we have signed a memorandum of understanding with Carrier Transicold to promote sustainable reefer solutions, as well as improve the energy efficiency of the maritime shipping sector.”

Outside of the arrangement with GIZ, Carrier Transicold has been pursuing a number of training programmes itself, with the company signing a deal earlier this year with Telangana State Trade Promotion Corporation to advance cold chain development and training in India. This followed agreements concluded during 2022 to help develop a cold chain centre in Kigali, Rwanda, and a transport training centre in Accra, Ghana.