Lines had imposed surcharges on reefer containers going into Shanghai and Tianjin in February when a shortage of truck drivers at the height of the coronavirus outbreak caused congestion issues. The current hold-up is due to more stringent checks on frozen food imports involving full testing and disinfection of them by the Chinese authorities

MSC is cashing in on the demand for high-value fruits heading into the Chinese market. In addition to tailoring itself to the busy Chilean cherry season, the new service will lead up into the Chinese New Year period as well. Chilean cherry exporters expect exports to grow 36% in the 2020-21 season

Cargo claims for losses in the temperature-controlled supply chain are increasing. The majority of the incidents could be remedied by better communication between stakeholders as cargoes change hands

The Israeli container line sees high demand and good opportunities in the reefer market and touts its new service as one of the fastest on the route. Zim has recently been launching innovative services where it sees a niche, such as a transpacific service aimed at the e-commerce market

The seaborne perishables market is well placed to weather the coronavirus storm due to a broader resilience in the global food supply chain, say London-based analysts Drewry. Growth in global reefer trade is expected to outpace the dry cargo market in the fallout from the pandemic, with a CAGR of 3.7% through to 2024

An unknown number of pirates has boarded the Seatrade reefer ship Water Phoenix, taking two of its 18 crew hostage. Nigerian waters remain the most dangerous for pirate attacks