Asia/Pacific News
Zespri Trials Biofuel for Kiwi Fruit Shipment to China
Fresh Carriers, a refrigerated marine transportation firm, along with fruit marketer Zespri, has trialed biofuel for kiwi fruit shipments to China for the first time.
The reefer vessel Kowhai bunkered a biofuel blend in Hong Kong before sailing to New Zealand's Tauranga, where it loaded kiwi fruit for delivery to Chinese customers, Zespri said in a statement on its website.
The vessel then completed its voyage to China's Shanghai using the biofuel it had taken on in Hong Kong.
Zespri noted that the decision to bunker in Hong Kong was driven by the unavailability of biofuel bunker blends in New Zealand.
The biofuel blend was derived from used cooking oil.
Both companies plan to continue trialling biofuel for the shipments.
"Shipping has the largest carbon impact across our supply chain, making up more than 40 percent of Zespri's emissions for fruit sold globally, Jason Te Brake, CEO of Zespri, said.
"With Zespri delivering fruit to more than 50 markets around the world each year, we're focused on efficiency measures as well as collaborating with shipping partners such as FCC to trial low-emissions solutions."
