The first of the three new refrigerated vessels is MV Kowhai, which will carry 4,219 tons of Jiapei kiwis to Tokyo and Kobe, Japan. 

Out of confidence in the kiwi fruit industry in New Zealand and its long-term relationship with the marketer Zespri, the logistics operator fresh carriers has made a lot of investment, and its three Kiwi special refrigerated ships will be put into operation to promote the development of the industry. Among the three new refrigerated vessels, MV Kowhai arrived at port of Tauranga this morning (October 30) and will take on the heavy responsibility of exporting to Japan for the first time after loading 4219 tons of Jiapei kiwifruit.

“Fresh Carriers transports approximately 190,000 tons of kiwifruit from New Zealand each year, and we are very pleased that the first of the three new refrigerated vessels has been delivered to transport the fruit to several top Asian markets in Jiapei,” Nisbet said. "The new ship has a higher deck, so more kiwis can be transported, and the fuel efficiency of the engine has also reached the latest standards. The new technology on board can also remotely monitor the condition of the fruit."

The sorting process is also very important before the kiwifruit is transported. Kiwi fruit has a short shelf life and is perishable. After picking, rapid and accurate sorting by the kiwifruit classifier can greatly improve the export efficiency and improve the quality of kiwifruit.

This season, fresh carriers provided 35 refrigerated vessels to transport Jiapei kiwi fruit to the main ports in North Asia, accounting for about 30% of the total output in this season.