Leading reefer logistics operator Seatrade and Chilean shipping group Pacific Seaways have joined forces to establish Global Reefers NV.
The new company, to be based in Valparaíso, Chile, will offer both refer and container lines from Chile, Peru and Colombia to major ports around the world, with a particular focus on servicing the fresh produce industry.
Pacific Seaways was created and continues to be managed by a collective of fruit growers and exporters, who have had business relationships with Seatrade for over two decades.
Pacific Seaways CEO Francisco Labarca has been appointed Global Reefers NV’s managing director. He said the joint venture would assist the companies achieve their common goal of providing reliable, fast and direct reefer shipping logistics towards the future.
“The union between these companies is a unique and new way of operating, which will allow the fruit and shipping industries to work together consolidating the best transport alternatives for Chile’s product,” Labarca said.
“The freezes that have affected our country’s agriculture will seriously impact the Chilean volumes and have once again put in the spotlight the need to coordinate efforts to find more efficient ways of ensuring the adequate size, timing and quantity of good quality reefer ships.”
