Cold Chain Market Report

Special Report

Houston gets USDA approval to handle cold-treated produce cargoes

By Michael Angell

Port Houston has secured approval from the US Department of Agriculture to handle produce cargoes that have been cold treated to remove pests , a move that could allow the Gulf Coast ’ s largest port to grab more of the region ’ s refrigerated-container business .

Port Houston said in a statement that the USDA ’ s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ( APHIS ) approved the port to receive cold-treatment cargo . Under APHIS , fresh produce imports can quickly enter the US without further inspection if the cargo has been maintained at a specific temperature throughout its voyage to eliminate pests .

The APHIS approval demonstrates Houston can “ meet the highest standards for handling cold-treatment cargo ,” the port said in the statement . APHIS-approved cargoes include citrus fruits , grapes and other high-value produce .

New York-New Jersey , Savannah and Philadelphia are among the other major US ports with APHIS-approved facilities .

Until recently , Houston ’ s refrigerated-container capacity was fairly limited . It relied on genset chassis to power refrigerated containers , as it lacked a racking system that enables refrigerated containers to be stacked . However , the port is adding racks to increase its refrigerated-container capacity .

The APHIS approval and rack capacity could help Houston turn around its refrigerated-container volumes . Last year , the port handled 15,759 TEUs of refrigerated containers of edible fruits and nuts , down 38 % from 2022 , according to PIERS , a sister product of Journal of Commerce within S & P Global .

There ’ s plenty of gains to be had . Thanks to the weekly container services operated by Dole Fresh Fruit , the Port of Freeport in Texas saw strong growth last year in its refrigerated imports , with fruit imports up 11 % to 39,262 TEUs , PIERS data shows .

“ Receiving APHIS approval to handle cold treatment cargo is a major achievement for Port Houston ,” said Roger Guenther , the port ’ s executive director . “ This capability allows us to provide additional services to our customers , helping ensure their perishable goods arrive in optimal condition .”

email : michael . angell @ spglobal . com

New cold storage warehouse aims to lessen dependence on Boston

By Michael Angell

A cold storage warehouse near Maine ’ s Port of Portland looks to cut transportation costs for the state ’ s seafood and produce shippers , who rely heavily on the Port of Boston and out-of-state storage capacity for handling refrigerated cargoes .

The 107,000-square-foot warehouse near Portland ’ s International Marine Terminal is set to open in early 2025 , according to Nathaniel Shehata , vice president of Iceland-based ocean carrier and forwarder Eimskip . Eimskip , which specializes in refrigerated cargo trade in the trans-Atlantic , is not a direct customer of the warehouse , www . joc . com September 23 , 2024 | Journal of Commerce 29