Maersk produces 400,000th Star Cool unit
Maersk Container Industry (MCI) recently produced Star Cool unit No. 400,000.
The company began producing the first series of Star Cool units for the open market in 2005. In the 16 years since, Star Cool reefers have gone into service with many global and regional carriers, and leasing companies around the world, with more than 50% owned and operated outside of the Maersk group, the company said.
Star Cool units include many reefer industry innovations, according to Maersk, including a “reliable and cost-effective” controlled atmosphere (CA) system, advantageous integrations, a refrigerant solution designed to reduce Global Warming Potential (GWP) by 56% and the first OEM connectivity platform, dubbed ‘Sekstant.’
“We are celebrating this major event with all our many customers, as well as our over 400 authorized Star Cool service providers around the world, without whom MCI never would have reached such a landmark within a relatively short period,” said Søren Leth Johannsen, CCO of MCI.
“We are particularly happy to see that Star Cool No. 400,000 will go into service with HMM, one of MCI’s earliest customers in Asia. MCI has been supplying reefer containers to HMM since before the Star Cool launch. As early as 2009, HMM entrusted MCI with their first Star Cool order of 150 units. Today, the company has grown and continues to operate a significant number of Star Cool reefers in their global service, including both Star Cool Integrated and Star Cool units, as well as Star Cool CA.”
To make sure HMM and other important customers based in South Korea are well supported, MCI took steps early in 2010 to deploy its own Star Cool service manager in the country. This marked one of MCI’s important early service expansion moves. Today, a team of dedicated Star Cool service managers are deployed in key markets around the world.
“HMM is looking forward to receiving Star Cool No. 400,000 into our growing reefer operation,” said HMM’s purchasing team manager. “Our longstanding relationship with MCI is based on mutual trust and close cooperation. Moreover, Star Cool supports the vision and mission of HMM, so we are confident Star Cool No. 500,000 running off the production line will not be far away.”
The most recent order from HMM is for 1,500 Star Cool units, which are being shipped to another box manufacturer for commissioning and immediate deployment in HMM’s 60 worldwide service routes, including 27 as part of THE Alliance.
