Leading global logistics specialist Rhenus Group is extending its expertise in perishable cargo logistics to better support Greater China and Asia, tapping on the region’s growing demand for fresh products.
The company will set up a team of experts, as part of Rhenus Fresh, to manage the transportation of fresh cargo between Greater China, Europe and LATAM, in particular Chile.
Rhenus Chile’s major trade with Asia for fresh perishables highlights the increasing market demand, particularly for fruits shipped to China and meat to Hong Kong via air freight.
Notably, Chile holds a pioneering status in global salmon exports to China. This diverse range of perishable exports showcases the versatility and strategic approach of Rhenus to catering to various international markets.
Greater China is a major import destination for fresh products. According to Seabury’s data, in 2022, the import volume of fresh goods via air freight in Greater China stood at 528,629 tons, far exceeding the export volume of 13,483 tons.
Key countries of import include Thailand, the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Australia, the Netherlands and Norway. The situation is similar in terms of the import volume of fresh goods via ocean freight, which stood at 1,084,924 tons, significantly above the export volume of 797,571 tons.
Rhenus Greater China, which was established in 2002, will provide specialised support through time-critical and temperature-controlled services for fresh and frozen produce transportation. Key trade lanes will include China to Europe, LATAM as well as China to the rest of Asia, and vice versa.
“As a leading logistics provider, we recognise the immense potential and opportunities within this sector of fresh and perishable goods” says Cliff Xu, CEO of Rhenus Air & Ocean, Greater China.
“With our extensive global network and the expertise of our specialised team for fresh goods in North-West Europe, we will be able to seamlessly handle the transportation of perishable cargo on a global scale.”
Leveraging on global Rhenus Fresh’s expertise
Supporting the new, specialised service is the team from Rhenus North-West Europe, who spearheads a dedicated fresh division that has been in operation since 1921.
Situated close to all the major logistics hubs for air and ocean freight, Rhenus North-West Europe’s reach extends across Norway and Denmark, over Ireland and the UK to Belgium and the Netherlands.
With a focus on temperature-controlled air & ocean import and export, storage and delivery, the dedicated Rhenus Fresh team has been sharing best practices, process flows and other quality requirements. The main challenge with fresh cargo is to ensure product integrity during transport.
This task has been mastered by the team over the years, with a focus on fast transport processing, 24/7 service and reliable carriers. The knowledge transfer to the perishable’s experts in Greater China and Asia is now in full motion.
Rhenus Fresh started in North-West Europe, which is a major hub for fresh exports to over 150 destinations. From fresh flowers, bulbs, fruits and vegetables to seafood, meat and fish, Rhenus Fresh has developed comprehensive temperature-controlled solutions to transport all fresh and frozen goods globally.
Expanding its reach, Rhenus Fresh has recently established a dedicated team in Spain, marking its presence also in South Europe and in the Mediterranean trade.
With an extensive network, Rhenus Fresh has a strong trade lane focus from Europe to Greater China, North and South America and Africa, as well as from Greater China to Europe, Latin America (LATAM) and Asia.
The expansion of its fresh cargo services comes shortly after Rhenus’ recent acquisition of BLU Logistics, a leading LATAM freight forwarder present in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, as well as in Greater China and with more than 180,000 TEUs of ocean freight volume.
“The strategic acquisitions will allow us to strengthen our global network and service portfolio in the LATAM region, where we see increasing demand for logistics services, such as the perishables industry,” added Frank Roderkerk, CEO of Rhenus Air & Ocean, North-West Europe.
“As we bring our collective expertise to support essential markets, we enhance our global supply chain resilience to better support customers.”
