Ocean Network Express (ONE) continues to expand its current refrigerated container (reefer) fleet by adding another 27,500 new units (including 850 units equipped with advanced Controlled Atmosphere (CA) technology) to meet the growing demand for refrigerated cargo around the world.

In a statement, the container shipping liner said this new investment comes on the heels of 5000 units (all 40’HC) invested by ONE in early 2020, which demonstrates its strong commitment to meet the demand for containerized reefer trade.

Surge in demand cited

"Despite the challenges triggered by COVID-19, the global refrigerated container trade showed strong resilience in 2020 compared to dry cargo and ONE expects this growth to be maintained in 2021," it said.

ONE noted that it is also currently working towards the application of the latest IoT technology into its fleet of reefer containers which provides real-time visibility of critical information such as the temperature and humidity inside the container, thereby enhancing cargo care during the entire voyage.

"ONE now has one of the largest and youngest reefer fleets in the world, equipped with the most advanced technologies designed to handle perishable cargo demand. Since inception, ONE has been consistently investing in new reefer containers, which in turn has helped to position ourselves in a strategically important & growing business segment," said Hiroki Tsujii, Managing Director, Marketing & Commercial in ONE.

ONE noted that its Global Reefer Business Planning team based at its HQ in Singapore developed ONE’s global reefer marketing and business strategy through the close monitoring of market demand and the close collaboration with ONE’s regional reefer teams located around the world.

ONE said its Reefer technical team is available both onboard and onshore providing round-the-clock assistance and monitoring of reefer cargo throughout the voyage.