Logistics Update Africa — January 24, 2018

JAN - FEB 2018 LUA 27

APM Terminals launches refrigerated

truck transport for Nigerian farmers

A

iming to get more perishables to mar-
ket with less spoilage, multi-national
terminal operator, APM Terminals Inland
Services has launched improved refriger-
ated truck transport in Nigeria. APM Ter-
minals joined hands with Naija Pride and
sought assistance of international develop-
ment groups to provide modern cold chain
transportation for farmers in the agricul-
tural centers of northern Nigeria.
It is estimated that 15 million metric

tonnes of Nigerian-grown perishable

goods, including onions, potatoes, toma-

toes, peppers, okra, ginger and carrots, are

lost annually due to poor logistics infra-

structure before it reaches the market cent-

ers in Lagos. The new cold chain solution

in transportation will reduce post-harvest

losses, and extend the shelf life of fresh

produce to local consumption and export.

“New investment in cold chain in-

frastructure will clearly be an important

growth driver for the Nigerian economy.

We, along with our partners, aim to offer

our customers both the service and exper-

tise necessary to protect perishables for

domestic markets and open new interna-

tional market opportunities through Nige-

rian ports,” said Martin Jacob, managing

director, APM Terminals Apapa.

As much as half of Nigeria’s domestic to-

mato crop of 1.8 million metric tonnes does

not get to market due to spoilage or damage

during transportation. On December 1, the

first trial shipment of 18.6 metric tonnes of

fresh tomatoes, packed into 933 crates each

containing 20 kg, were loaded into a refrig-

erated container for the 1,045 km (650 mile)

trip from Dutsen Wai, in Nigeria’s Kaduna

State, to Lagos. In the temperature-con-

trolled reefer environment, heat spoilage, as

well as bruising damage from cargo shifting

during transport was eliminated – and the

entire truckload arrived intact.

APM Terminals partnered with Naija

Pride for the tomato shipment, in coop-

eration with US-based TechnoServe, an

international non-profit organisation.

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