The fruit and refrigeration centre of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) has acquired an additional weekly call, which marks the beginning of handling operations at the O’Swaldkai Terminal in Hamburg for Maersk’s new service.
The service will bring Colombian bananas and other fruits to Europe.
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The new Colombia Express reefer container service is Maersk’s second service to call at Port of Hamburg.
With the new service, the HHLA fruit and refrigeration centre is further expanding its position as the most important German handling location for bananas.
It will primarily transport cargo, which the importer, Fyffes, had previously shipped to Europe via Portsmouth and Antwerp using its own services.
The service will call at Hamburg in addition to two other ports; Colombian Ports of Turbo and Santa Maria to Portsmouth, Antwerp and Hamburg.
The first ship to arrive in Hamburg as part of the Colombia Express service is the “Antwerp Trader”.
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The “Antwerp Trader” has more than 550 reefer connection points and can therefore easily transport the intended 450 reefer containers in addition to other cargo.
Axel Hoeckrich, Managing Director of the HHLA fruit and refrigeration centre, said: “We are delighted that we were able to acquire the new Maersk service for Hamburg.
“It strengthens the location and shows that the restructuring measures that we have adopted considering the increasing use of containers for temperature-controlled cargo are bearing fruit.
“We are therefore optimistic about further growth in volumes.”
