New technologies help fuel growth

Hapag-Lloyd, which is leading the liner shipping industry when it comes to fitting smart devices to its dry freight containers, is pressing ahead with its installation programme. It expects the whole of its 1.6M TEU owned fleet to be smart early in 2024. Already more than 80% of its reefer containers are fitted with devices that in addition to tracking the container’s position, monitor temperature and humidity levels inside the equipment.

Through Seacube Containers, MSC is leasing 5,000 new reefers with Carrier Transicold’s PrimeLINE machinery and its XtendFRESH controlled atmosphere system.

After several years of strong expansion, the reefer leasing industry grew more modestly in 2017, and new investment fell to its lowest level in almost decade.

Late last year, Carrier Transicold announced that Seaco had placed an order for 100 NaturaLINE CO2 reefer units, making it the first leasing company to order Carrier’s next generation reefer machinery.

Coolboxx, which was formed in 2004 to provide shippers of temperature-controlled products with a range of intermodal alternatives to road transport using 45ft reefer containers, has been transformed into a container rental company.

Crowley Maritime Corporation has taken delivery of a further 300 40ft high cube and 55 20ft refrigerated containers fitted with Carrier Transicold PrimeLINE machinery to add to the 400 similar units it phased into its fleet last year after extensive field testing in 2008.