Successful 12-day journey to China could pave the way for a new channel for tree-ripened durian
Malaysian durian exporter Hernan has conducted a successful seafreight trial shipment to China, deploying a Daikin CA (controlled atmosphere) container to keep the fruit in prime condition.
According to a report from The Star, the two-tonne shipment of durian docked in Dalian after a 12-day sea journey. Hernan founder and group chief executive officer Datuk Anna Teo said the shipment passed customs inspections and arrived fresh and in good condition.
“For me, this is a breakthrough,” Teo told The Star. “This was our third trial across two years of hard work and testing. With this round, we now understand the required conditions and settings and have refined the necessary standard operating procedures.”
The company has worked with numerous technology and logistics partners over the past couple of years to test supply chain solutions to support durian exports. In this instance, it used a Daikin CA container, which combines refrigeration with atmospheric control to slow the ripening process and help maintain freshness and quality for longer periods.
Teo said the success of this shipment could pave the way for tree-ripened Malaysian durian to be shipped by sea, allowing for larger volumes and reduced shipping costs. Relying less on airfreight would also help reduce carbon emissions while providing more opportunities to expand trade into China, she added.
“While there is much to be fine-tuned, improved, and perfected, this trial result is a step in the right direction,” Teo said. Knowing that a viable solution is within reach should give us cause to be positive and drive us as an industry to find better ways to reach our markets.”
