Chiquita Brands International has implemented a new, dedicated and integrated container service that sets an even higher standard to safeguard the premium quality of its bananas across the world. 

The new logistic service will operate five full-container vessels to transport bananas from Central America to Europe’s Vlissingen port in The Netherlands — a modern hub that will allow Chiquita to serve all Northern European destinations with the best transit time in the industry.

The investment in this new service will result in fresher bananas and a longer shelf life, thanks to new ultra-efficient containers that positively impact fruit quality by using software that automatically regulates the containers’ compressor thereby controlling the atmosphere. This will also result in a positive environmental impact, as consumption of CO2 has been reduced by 17,000 tons annually, as each new container is 50% more energy efficient than older models.

The new vessels have also helped to reduce the handling of fruit at ports and increased stowage capacity by 12.5 percent, thanks to a more efficient storage from origin to destination, guaranteeing the cold chain. These improvements will mean more bananas can be moved per trip, using less energy whilst still ensuring the fruit quality is prioritized.

“Looking back over these past years work with the container fleet upgrade, we can proudly say we have achieved something remarkable,” said Carlos Lopez Flores, global president of Chiquita. “We’ve saved an unprecedented amount of energy — the equivalent of the CO2 emitted by 3,000 cars per year.”