Del Monte moving two vessels to west coast to improve logistics

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., one of North America’s leading marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, has announced that two of its energy efficient container vessels — Del Monte Harvester and Del Monte Valiant — are moving to the west coast.

These two vessels were launched in July 2020 along with four additional energy efficient reefer container vessels and helped mark a new chapter in environmental sustainability for the company.

Each vessel has a full cargo capacity of 1,276 TEU with 634 plugs for 40-foot high cube reefer containers, and given the perishable nature of fresh fruits and vegetables, the air-cooled containers will maintain the cargo at specified temperatures, traveling in reefer mode with multiple temperature variants from -25C to 40C. Moving these vessels to the west coast will not only allow Del Monte Fresh Produce to have full control over its fleet, but will also assist with speeding up shipping times, ensuring that customers receive the freshest products.

“Providing customers with high quality products in in a timely manner is a top priority of ours and we are proud to be able to do it in a way that helps meet our sustainability goals as a company,” said Helmuth Lutty, Senior Vice President of Shipping Operations for Fresh Del Monte Produce.

Equipped with the latest hull design and vertical bow to achieve a service speed of up to 22 knots with a very efficient fuel consumption, both the Del Monte Harvester and Del Monte Valiant meet the most stringent emission control regulations, allowing Del Monte Fresh Produce, N.A. to continue fulfilling its commitment to create a positive impact on the environment. Additionally, the vessels’ Hybrid Scrubber system meets all international requirements to reduce pollution and control emissions of noxious substances.