Spanish 45ft reefer rail service goes live

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A new 45ft reefer container intermodal service for Spanish fresh produce exporters went live in early May, reports FreshPlaza. The initiative from European container carrier MacAndrews, part of the CMA CGM group, will provide growers in the Murcia region with a direct reefer rail connection to Bilbao,  the Spanish hub port for MacAndrews’ intra-Europe container shipping network. The service initially launched with two weekly rail shipments, with plans to introduce daily service in the near future. The new initiative – understood to be the first of its kind in Spain – is the result of a co-operation between MacAndrews, Continental Rail and Grupo Fuentes, operator of  the Nonduermas rail terminal in Murcia. As well as redevelopment of the Nonduermas rail terminal infrastructure, the project involved investment in a new system of on-board generators to power reefer boxes while traveling by rail,  plus associated cold chain control technology.