Inbound empty reefers provide thousands of opportunities for the shipping of “reefer-friendly” cargo, says logistics consultant Andy Connell.“Some 85% of reefer containers arrive empty in South Africa, with only 15% containing-paying cargo,” he told Freight News.“This represents a very poorly tapped market for reefer-friendly cargo.”Included in this category would be cargo which does not leave a residue, such as electronic components, television sets, and clothing.Car tyres and paint would not be suitable. Connell was commenting on the DHL Global Forwarding Ocean Reefer Market update for Q2, 2024, which estimates that southern Africa will have an annual imbalance of 23 000 forty-foot equivalent units, or 91%.There are similar imbalances in the Asian, Oceania, South and Central American markets.The report also states that “reefer shipping returns to crisis mode”.“Following a period of eased capacities and rates in the previous year, challenges for fresh goods in maritime transport are resurfacing,” according to DHL.The challenges include water shortages in the Panama Canal as a result of climate change and the Gaza conf lict.The rerouting of vessels from the Suez Canal to the Cape increases time and cost, and contributes to a shortage of containers as they are spending longer in transit.Other factors impacting demand for protein include weakness in the Chinese economy and reduced spending power of consumers in both emerging and industrialised markets.According to DHL, global meat volumes increased by 1.1% year-on-year during the second quarter, while fish and seafood shipments declined by 0.8%.
