Tokyo-based Fresh Carriers Co., Ltd (FCC), and New Zealand kiwi producer Zespri have carried out the first kiwifruit charter powered by a low-emissions fuel, with the vessel Kowhai docking at Nangang Port in Shanghai.
The Kowhai is Zespri’s first charter shipment for the Greater China region for the 2025/26 season and arrived recently after departing Tauranga in mid-March. It continues the trial work Zespri and FCC are undertaking, following on from a technical performance trial undertaken last year.
Zespri informs that with biofuel not available in New Zealand, the vessel bunkered the biofuel in Hong Kong before sailing south to Tauranga where it was loaded with 1.2 million trays or around 5,400 tonnes of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, as well as 16 containers of Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit for customers in Greater China, whilst on its journey north the Kowhai was powered by a blend of biofuel made from used cooking oil.
Along with FCC, the successful biofuel charter has been made possible with support from PFS Cold Chain Logistics Co Ltd (PFS), and VX Cold Chain Logistics, Zespri’s logistics partners in China -the fruit producer- state.
Jason Te Brake, Zespri CEO, said that “It’s an exciting step forward to take Zespri Kiwifruit to market for the first time on a charter powered by biofuel with long-term shipping partner FCC. Shipping has the largest carbon impact across our supply chain, making up more than 40 percent of Zespri’s emissions for fruit sold globally. 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. This will help us reduce our carbon impact per tray of fruit.”
