PIL successfully delivers first shipment of avocados from Africa to Asia with Carrier Transicold’s EverFRESH active controlled atmosphere system

Reflecting the growing use of controlled atmosphere (CA) technologies to maintain quality of fruits and vegetables over extended shipping times, Pacific International Lines (PIL) has successfully transported its first shipments of avocados from Kenya to Brunei using Carrier Transicold’s innovative EverFRESH® CA system. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions.

“The EverFRESH Active CA technology has worked well for us in transporting avocados over a number of our key refrigerated trade lanes,” said Lim Chee Wei, General Manager Logistics Division, PIL. “That success with higher-respiring perishables gave us the confidence to expand its use for shipments of Kenyan-grown avocados, and we are pleased that EverFRESH has again proven to be a success in this first shipment of avocados from Kenya.”

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Kenya is currently the world’s sixth largest avocado producer. Since October 2022, PIL has accomplished a number of firsts with EverFRESH CA technology – its first shipments of avocados from Peru to Hong Kong, as well as from Australia to Singapore.

EverFRESH reduces respiration and slows natural ripening of commodities by optimizing oxygen and carbon dioxide balance. The positive pressure effectively built up inside the container reduces box air leakage compared to other controlled atmosphere systems. This innovative technology helps to maintain ideal conditions during transportation while extending the shelf life of high-value commodities.

Using active CA technology, the EverFRESH system also generates high-purity nitrogen to more quickly and responsively displace oxygen, rather than relying on cargo respiration alone to gradually reduce oxygen levels.

“PIL’s success with the EverFRESH system is a significant step for our support of the growing trend among shipping lines to provide CA technology for the benefit of their customers,” said Leow Eng Meng, Sales Director, Asia, Global Container Refrigeration, Carrier Transicold. “This is further proof that our customers can benefit from the improved atmosphere control of Carrier’s EverFRESH system, which allows for more precise settings and with that, more effective shipments of perishable commodities.”