Join the Move to -15°C Coalition appoints Thomas Eskesen as Chair
A 3-degree difference could save 17.7 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent annual emissions of 3.8m cars.
The Join the Move to -15°C Coalition on 4 March announced the appointment of the world’s leading refrigerated cargo expert, Thomas Eskesen, to the position of Chair.
The appointment comes as the Coalition continues to bolster its member base, with five new industry leaders pledging their support for a move to -15°C.
Eskesen brings with him over 35 years of experience and a proven international track record, having held several leadership positions at Maersk, including a decade as Vice President, Head of Reefer and Special Cargo.
In this role, he was responsible for setting strategic direction, asset planning, product development and innovation. Eskesen also holds the position of Chairman for the TPM Cold Chain conference.
Vested interest
Thomas Eskesen, Chair of Join The Move to -15˚C, said: “The aim of the Coalition is simple: to create an international alliance of committed partners that will transform the global logistics landscape, cut carbon emissions, save energy, and lower costs by changing the temperature that frozen food is stored and transported at.
“Frozen food standards have not been updated in almost a century, so they are long overdue for revision. It has been proven that a small temperature increase could have huge benefits, so the Coalition aims to act as a conduit by bringing the industry together to change what’s possible as the sector looks for viable ways to achieve its shared net-zero ambition.
“We’re in the very early days of the Coalition’s establishment so it’s great to see such vested interest from key industry players, and we offer a warm welcome to our new Coalition members. We’re looking forward to a productive first meeting at TPM24, where will discuss key priorities and set the direction and vision for the year ahead.”
Significant portion of market
The Coalition, which was initiated by global logistics firm DP World in 2023, is an industry-wide alliance that aims to redefine frozen food temperature standards to reduce emissions, cut supply chain costs and secure food resources for the world’s growing population.
To date, the Coalition has secured support from a significant portion of the world’s shipping market. Its newest members include Americold, a global leader in temperature-controlled logistics, Holt Logistics, a leading freight transportation and logistics service provider, and JB Hunt, a U.S. transport and logistics company.
Other members who have already pledged support to the Coalition’s mission include leading industry organizations, such as U.S.-based AJC Group, A.P. Moller–Maersk (Maersk) of Denmark; Daikin of Japan; DP World of UAE; the Global Cold Chain Alliance; Switzerland’s Kuehne + Nagel International and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), U.S. based Lineage, Germany’s Hapag Lloyd; Singapore-based Ocean Network Express (ONE).
Environmental impact
Most frozen food is transported and stored at -18°C, a standard that was set 93 years ago and has not changed since. The report found that a move to -15°C could make a significant environmental impact with no compromise on food safety.
Furthermore, the report revealed that a 3-degree difference could save 17.7 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent annual emissions of 3.8m cars. If achieved, this change could cut costs in the supply chain by at least 5% and in some areas by up to 12%.