The Netherlands: Zeeland Seaports Secures Unique Position as Dedicated Reefer Port

Vlissingen can nowadays call itself the largest dedicated reefer port of the Netherlands for the import and export cargo of potato-, vegetables- and fruit products. This is the result of a contract between NYKCool and Kloosterboer Vlissingen which was signed last week. This contract Kloosterboer ensures the supply of all conventional (fruit) products from Chile and South Africa.

Shipping companies, such as Star and Seatrade already were regular customers in Vlissingen and now with the arrival of NYKCool this unique position as dedicated reefer port is secured for the coming years. Now both NYKCool and Seatrade almost exclusively use Vlissingen for all their import flows. Together with the export of mostly locally grown potatoes and onions to Western Africa and Russia the total number of conventional shipped pallets will amount to approx. 450,000 in 2012 (equal to approx. half a million tons)

Logistics service provider Kloosterboer not only takes care of discharge and storage of goods, they also handle all (Customs) documentation and transport to supermarkets and importers.

The strategy of Zeeland Seaports and Kloosterboer is focussed on the achievement of centralizing the handling of specialized reefer vessels in Vlissingen. For this reason investments have been made in terminals, quays, cranes, manpower and infrastructure.

For the receipt of fruit in reefer containers, Kloosterboer’s target is to attract short-sea services.

Due to an optimal barge connection between Antwerp and Rotterdam, many containers are shipped to Vlissingen. Currently, a depot function for reefer containers is being discussed with several shipping companies. At Kloosterboer’s container depot the empty reefer containers can be repositioned in an effective way.

About Kloosterboer

Kloosterboer is a family-owned company with 85 years of experience in international produce and other temperature-controlled trades. It has subsidiaries specialized in warehousing, stevedoring, forwarding, shipping, customs and logistics IT. At Vlissingen, the company has a storage capacity of 200.000 tons of which at least 35.000 pallets are available for handling and storage of fresh produce as well as a container yard with a capacity of 3.000 TEU and 180 reefer plugs. Advanced IT services provide total track and trace and full inventory and quality control of the products.

About Zeeland Seaports

As Zeeland’s port company, Zeeland Seaports is responsible for the development, management, maintenance and operation of the ports of Vlissingen and Terneuzen. The port area has a strategic location at the mouth of the Western Scheldt (Westerschelde). The deep waters and lack of locks at the Zeeland Seaports provide excellent nautical accessibility. And thanks to an effective railway and road network, inland shipping routes and pipe lines, Zeeland Seaports offers excellent connections with the European hinterland. This strategic positioning and the high morale in this industry have allowed Zeeland Seaports to grow to be the third sea port of the Netherlands, and since 1980 it has been one of the fastest growing port areas in Europe.

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World Maritime News Staff, November 23, 2011; Image: Zeeland Seaports