Hapag-Lloyd Invests in Maersk Reefers

Maersk Container Industry (MCI) has announced that it will deliver a huge order of 8,600 reefer units to German ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd, of which 2,000 will be Controlled Atmosphere (CA) reefers.

Production has already commenced on the Star Cool Integrated reefers at Maersk’s site in Qingdao, China, with all 8,600 units prepared to switch over to R513A, an alternative refrigerant blend that offers 56% global warming potential (GWP) reduction.

The use of R513A addresses the environmental protection legislation for existing technology platforms introduced under the EU’s F-gas regulations. 

Star Cool units produced since July 2017 also provide operators with total freedom to decide whether it makes economic sense to charge with R513A or R134a.

Søren Leth Johannsen, Chief Commercial Officer at MCI, said: “We deeply value the trust shown in us by Hapag-Lloyd, which is founded on 18 years of experience in supplying reefer containers to them.

“This close cooperation led Hapag-Lloyd to order their first batch of Star Cool units in 2012, since when the proportion of these cutting-edge reefers in the Hapag-Lloyd fleet has steadily grown over the years.”

Niklas Ohling, Senior Director at Hapag-Lloyd, also made a statement: “It is reassuring to know that we have the ability to fully convert a large part of our reefer fleet to a lower GWP refrigerant solution, without having to make any modifications to the machines or compromise on performance.”