News / New era for reefer shipping when wider Panama Canal opens to bigger ships

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The battle for Latin America’s perishable cargo is set to move into a new phase with the opening of a widened Panama Canal next year, key speakers told delegates at TOC Americas in Cartagena.

The arrival of ultra-large container vessels in the region is likely to be the final nail in the coffin for traditional reefer carriers squeezing earnings from ageing tonnage.

With market leader Hamburg Sud already deploying post-panamax vessels of up to 9,200teu, with as many as 2,100 reefer slots ...