The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), a leading global transportation and logistics company based in Geneva, Switzerland, will lease 2,000 containers chilled by Carrier Transicold's NaturaLINE CO2-based refrigeration system, according to a 22 August news release from Carrier Transicold.
"The NaturaLINE unit's innovative use of CO2 is the first of its kind available on the reefer market," said Giuseppe Prudente, chief logistics officer, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.
"By providing higher level of performance in the minus 40 degrees Celsius deep-frozen range, we can add new capabilities for our growing customer base, particularly for seafood and other high-value frozen commodities."
"Moreover, shipping is already one of the most environmentally sustainable forms of cargo transportation, and we are pleased to continue to improve our environmental performance by equipping our fleet with the latest green technologies."
MSC's new refrigerated containers – all 12-metre (40 ft.) high-cube models – are being leased from SeaCube Containers LLC, a US-based company that owns and manages dry and refrigerated shipping containers.
"In taking leadership to provide a natural-refrigerant solution, Carrier Transicold created what is perhaps the most sound investment a leasing company and shipping line can make – a refrigerated container that will not become obsolete in its lifetime due to pressures from environmental legislation," said Robert Sappio, CEO, SeaCube.
"By fulfilling the NaturaLINE unit's first order of this magnitude, SeaCube is pleased to be part of this important development for the shipping industry."
MSC will begin taking delivery of its new containers from SeaCube later in the year.
Carrier Transicold is part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp.
"We commend MSC and SeaCube for their investment in environmentally sustainable refrigeration equipment," said David Appel, president, Carrier Transicold & Refrigeration Systems.
"The NaturaLINE unit, with CO2 refrigerant, takes users directly to an end state by guarding against regulations, environmental taxes and phase-outs that other refrigerants will be subject to during their operational lifespan. In addition, CO2 is non-ozone depleting, widely available, relatively inexpensive and nonflammable."
