Unloading fruit at Dover Image: Port of Dover…
December has seen the Port of Dover’s cargo business handle a huge supply of perishable fruit with five Seatrade and GreenSea vessels calling in seven days.
Melons from Brazil, bananas and fresh produce from Ecuador and grapes from South Africa were transported through the Terminal, ensuring supermarket shelves were stocked and consumers had their fresh fruit to eat in time for Christmas and the New Year.
The Port’s state of the art, temperature-controlled terminal can handle temperatures between 1 and 15 degrees and has refrigerated storage for over 5,500 pallets. These specialised, unrivalled facilities make Dover an ideal hub for handling and distributing fruit and other perishables between the UK and Europe.
Most recently, the Port welcomed a visit from Seatrade’s Cold Stream, with 2,000 pallets of South African Table grapes arriving in Dover as refrigerated breakbulk and containerised to support a strong supply of fresh grapes over the festive period.
Gina Smith, UK Commercial Director at Seatrade said: “The Port has shown once again that its modern, flexible facility, combined with a professional and dedicated team can deliver a seamless service to our customers over busy periods.”
“My thanks go to all the operational staff and to the team at Seatrade for their impeccable work and for investing their time just before Christmas to ensure the success of these discharges.”Alison Hall, Head of Business Development at the Port of Dover added: “I’m proud to have such committed and specialised staff, who can work so well with our customers to share their expertise and together, provide an excellent operation, which in turn puts fresh food on people’s tables during some of the busiest times for the industry.”