New partnership aims to revolutionise cold chain logistics with dedicated container vessels on routes from Davao to key markets in Japan and South Korea
Fresh Del Monte Produce has announced a new partnership with the CMA CGM Group to introduce containerised shipping service for fresh banana and pineapple exports from the Philippines to Japan and South Korea.
The fresh produce giant said the collaboration marks a “significant departure” from traditional breakbulk shipping methods, ushering in ”a new era of quality, reliability, and cold chain precision for banana and pineapple imports in Northeast Asia”.
The containerised service operates on two key shipping routes, provided by CNC, the Intra-Asia specialist of the CMA CGM Group.
Firstly, there is the JP8 service, a newly enhanced route offering fast, direct connections from Davao to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, and Moji, ensuring efficient delivery to Japan.
Secondly there is the BMX Service, described as a flagship route providing a premium, stable weekly connection from Davao to Busan, South Korea.
Del Monte noted that for decades, breakbulk vessels have been the standard in transporting bananas and pineapples to Japan and Korea.
However, it pointed out, this legacy method – where fruit is exposed to fluctuating temperatures and handled multiple times – has long posed challenges for maintaining fruit quality.
By moving to fully containerised shipments, Fresh Del Monte and CMA CGM are striving to deliver “a strategic leap in logistics excellence”.
“Customer satisfaction starts long before the fruit reaches the shelf – it begins with how we move it,” said Raul Saca, senior vice president global logistics at Fresh Del Monte.
“By transitioning to dedicated container vessels, we’re not only improving cold chain reliability and minimising damage but also creating a more agile, scalable logistics model that better serves our retail partners across Asia.”
Unlike breakbulk methods, where the fruits may face hours of exposure to extreme heat or cold and frequent handling, the new containerised approach keeps fruit in consistent, temperature-controlled conditions from farm to customer.
It also mitigates carbon footprint due to its inherent efficiency.
Each container acts as a mobile cold room, preserving quality and extending shelf-life, which results in more capacity, less waste, and consistently better bananas and pineapples for retailers and consumers alike, the company explained.
CMA CGM’s Climactive controlled atmosphere containers and smart container solutions slow down ripening and preserve the nutritional value of fruits while allowing customers to obtain extensive, reliable, and real-time information about their goods.
“This partnership with Fresh Del Monte reflects our shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction,” said Bo Wegener, chief executive officer of CMA CGM Asia Pacific.
“In addition to benefits from containerisation, CMA CGM’s expertise in fruits and fresh produce logistics offers improved solutions that add value to both producers and consumers.”
Del Monte added that by cutting fruit waste, reducing handling, and increasing cargo efficiency, the shift marks a ”smarter, more resilient way to move fresh produce, benefitting both quality and the planet”.
