Milestone provides new alternative for exporters amid ongoing global container shortage
Peru has carried out its first-ever break-bulk shipment of fresh fruit. Announcing the measure, plant health authority Senasa said the vessel, loaded with 4,000 pallets of table grapes (equivalent to almost 200 containers), departed from the port of Paracas bound for the US.
The ship’s four holds were filled with grapes, which will be subjected to cold treatment during transit. Senasa said further shipments with similar quantities are planned for January 3 and 8.
Agriculture minister Ángel Manero said the move highlighted the government’s commitment to implementing innovative systems that promote the growth of agricultural exports.
In a statement, Senasa said the milestone was “the culmination of several years of planning and preparation and represents a step forward in the efficiency of transport and logistics, and a response to the great demand for our products in the international market”.
The use of break-bulk for fruit shipments is also an effective solution for the industry in the face of the shortage of containers, a challenge that has affected the transport of agricultural products globally.
