The Port of Wilmington in Delaware this week received the first breakbulk shipment of Chilean winter fruit to arrive in the US, for the seventh consecutive season.
According to a port news report, the m/v Hellas Reefer, s specialised refrigerated vessel operated by Trans Global Shipping NV in the Global Reefers service was welcomed on 14 December.
The vessel discharged a cargo of over 992,100 boxes of fresh cherries, blueberries, apricots, peaches, nectarines and table grapes the first of what the port anticipates will be at least 25 shiploads of fruit from Chilean ports including Valparaiso, Coquimbo and Caldera.
'The arrival of the Hellas Reefer marks the seventh year in a row that the First State has had an opportunity to receive the season-opening breakbulk shipment of Chilean winter fruit, not only on the Delaware river but in the entire US,' said Gene Bailey, executive director at the port. 'It is our pleasure to once again directly support the trade interests of our partners and customers in providing US and Canadian consumers with the freshest possible fruit for the holidays.'
The cargo is stored in the port's 800,000 on-dock refrigerated warehouse complex, one of North America's largest, before distribution throughout Canada and the eastern region of the US.
The port of Wilmington handled over 15.4m boxes of Chilean fruit in the 2015/16 season.
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