DP World & Maersk: Fyffes' First Electrified Banana Delivery
DP World has successfully completed a fully electric delivery of Fyffes bananas.
Nicholas Mazzei, Vice President of Sustainability at DP World, wrote on LinkedIn: "Yesterday, from our Southampton terminal to Basingstoke, we delivered Fyffes their container of bananas fully electric.
"And, in perhaps what is the most impeccable timing, it all happened while I attended a working session on decarbonisation of supply chains and road transport with the WBCSD â World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
"Just as I was discussing our work with TRATON GROUP CSO Andreas Follér, I got a message from Dave Munday in our UK logistics team that we had successfully delivered the container by using the MAN Truck & Bus SE eTGX."
This trial highlights how partnerships can accelerate the adoption of green logistics. The successful delivery involved collaboration across multiple sectors from the vehicle manufacturer to the end customer.
Advanced cold chain logistics
Fyffes, the worldâs largest importer of Fairtrade certified bananas, is committed to ensuring its products are delivered in optimal condition.
To achieve this Fyffes has partnered with Maersk to create new shipping routes and utilising its specialised containers to improve on-time delivery.
Maersk has experience in cold chain logistics using temperature-controlled containers and live monitoring to ensure perishable goods arrive as promised.
Maersk provides its own logistics solution for banana transportation featuring StarCare and StarRipe containers.
The StarRipe container is an innovative design with a controlled ripening function embedded into its controlled atmosphere.
This technology allows suppliers to select functions that best suit the container's atmosphere with adjustable parameters such as temperature, oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Ripening is activated automatically based on the customerâs desired ripeness level when the container is opened.
"We have been ripening bananas on the move for some time now, so it is no longer a question of whether it works – now it is about sitting together with our customers and finding how this technology best fits into their processes and their supply chain," adds Michaela Steineker, Senior Business Development Manager at Maersk.
Electrifying the supply chain
Both DP World and Maersk have established detailed ESG commitments in their operations which are now being applied to banana transportation through the use of electric vehicles (EVs).
MAN Truck & Bus is also focused on its climate protection responsibility and is transitioning towards electrification with a focus on battery-electric commercial vehicles.
The MAN eTGX electric truck used in the delivery is designed for long-distance haulage.
It has a charging capacity of up to 750 kW and can be charged during a 45-minute break providing a range of up to 350 km.
This capability could make it a viable option for decarbonising long-haul road freight.
This collaborative effort could show that the EV transition is achievable but requires partnership.
Nicholas adds: "Making the EV transition happen can't be done by any one company. It took MAN, Maersk, Fyffes and DP World to make this happen. But the key is that it did happen and it will happen more and more."
