Belgian New Fruit Wharf (BNFW), the world’s largest reefer terminal operator, has extended its northern European ports network with the acquisition of Seabrex, Rotterdam's largest handling, freight forwarding and distribution company for perishable products.
As reported on the Reefer Trends website, the acquisition adds Rotterdam to BNFW's exisiting operations at the Port of Hamburg in Germany and the Belgian ports Antwerp and Zeebrugge.
Discharging more than 1m pallets of fruit and vegetables each year, Seabrex is the key player in Rotterdam's fresh produce handling operations.
Seabrex plans to build a major new fresh produce terminal in the Port of Rotterdam's Waalhaven area, to the south of its current site at Merwehaven.
With construction due to commence during the next couple of years, the company's new facilities are expected to open some time after 2013.
A new fruit terminal based at the Port of Rotterdam's Albert Dock, meanwhile, is due to be inaugurated this September.
BNFW is part of the Sea-Invest group, which acquired the company in 1995.
