Coldstore solutions provider Frigo Breda has announced that it is building a new facility at the Port of Moerdijk, due to open in June, as it looks to attract more perishable cargo to the Dutch port.
The 5.8ha site will house a coldstore with a capacity of 70,000 pallets, eight large rooms and 31 loading bays, as well as a 300m quay and a new head office.
The new facility will help the port attract more refrigerated and frozen cargo traffic as it looks to become a serious player in the sector.
Frigo Breda currently has the capacity to handled 37,000 pallets capacity spread over six locations, so Moerdijk expansion will more than treble its existing capacity.
In addition to the coldstore, the company is to build a container yard with sufficient reefer-plugs for cooling loaded reefer containers. A new Border Inspection Point (BIP) will also be created for the Dutch veterinary inspection body (NVWA) allowing import products like meat or fish to be inspected in Moerdijk arriving by container.
“The transport and logistics sector will face future challenges to make ever-increasing transport movements more efficient and environmentally friendly while lowering CO2 and NOx emissions,” said the company’s managing director Reiner van Elderen.
“Our new facilities will have a large storage and stevedore capacity with direct access to the water, guaranteeing short connections to the main hubs of Rotterdam and Antwerp.
“Next to this we will have a rail connection which we can use to attract perishables from the whole of Europe and amongst others export again via short-sea and barge combined with Deep-sea export again to the end-destination.”
Elderen noted that using more water and rail links would enable the company to limit road traffic between Rotterdam and Antwerp, creating a more reliable supply chain for its clients as well as a more environmentally friendly profile with lower emissions.
The Port of Moerdijk’s managing director said: “I am very proud that Frigo Breda – a large player in this field – is establishing itself in our port.
“It’s a next step in strengthening this cluster. Customers like VDH and Lidl are already handling large amounts of similar products and this is a well-needed addition. Certainly due to the opportunitiesmoving more by Short Sea, barge and rail. Due to this project we can speed up this modal shift.”
