This year’s Future of Freight Festival takes place Nov. 19-21 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. But it’s not your average conference. Sure, there are wonderful speakers and fireside chats. But that’s only half the fun. F3 is set up with half-days of speakers and amazing content. The other half we take over downtown Chattanooga, and there are events, networking and a lot of fun to be had by all. This year, subscribers to Running on Ice get a promo code exclusive to us! You can register with this link or use the code F3ROI24 at checkout for a discount.
All thawed out
Maersk Container Industries is providing triple-cooled reefer container units with its new Star Cool 1.1. This container uses three types of refrigerant, including a new climate-friendly version that has ultralow global warming potential and is the best solution to slash greenhouse gas emissions without sacrificing efficiency.
Paul Clarke, head of reefer technology, said in a news release: “The Star Cool 1.1 is a significant innovation in our quest to support the decarbonization of the shipping industry. Its ability to operate efficiently across multiple refrigerant options not only highlights its flexibility but also its readiness to meet both current and future safety and environmental standards. We have thoroughly field tested the upgraded Star Cool system and it is instrumental in our efforts to achieve lower energy consumption and reduced emissions, aligning with our long-term sustainability goals.”
Temperature checks
Big news coming to the world of pharmaceutical temperature-controlled air cargo. Envirotainer has integrated with Va-Q-tec to develop a solution to transport pharmaceuticals at any stage of the product life cycle to just about anywhere. The new services include real-time monitoring, predictive analytics and 24/7 customer assistance.
In an Air Cargo Week article David Simonsson, CEO at Envirotainer, said: “This integration marks a significant step forward for our customers and company. By combining the best of active and passive technologies, we’re better equipped to meet the evolving needs of the pharmaceutical industry, helping vital medicines reach patients safely, no matter where they are. As we continue to innovate, sustainability remains central to our mission, and we’ll continue to offer solutions that not only protect the efficacy of medicines but also align with environmental best practices. This is the beginning of a new era for us, one where we can make an even greater impact on global health.”
Food and drug
New look who dis? Fan favorite frozen food giant Birds Eye just announced a huge overhaul of its entire branding and logo. The goal is to make Birds Eye products more uniform and easier for shoppers to find in-store. Birds Eye is one of the most popular frozen food brands.
Jim Shearer, marketing director at Birds Eye, said in a Food and Drink Technology article that visuals aren’t the only component of good package design. It is also about conveying information on nutrition, convenience and taste. “Our new packaging design gives us a fantastic opportunity to communicate our quality and the benefits of the category even more clearly to our shoppers and to help them reappraise the frozen food aisle,” Shearer said.
Cold chain lanes
This week’s SONAR market goes to where everything is bigger: Dallas. The sharp peak in reefer outbound tender volumes and reefer outbound tender rejections is directly related to the Labor Day holiday. While both outbound tender volumes and rejection rates took a sharp turn last week, there wasn’t a significant impact on spot rates. Compared to this time in both 2023 and 2022, reefer rejections are actually elevated, a 556-basis-point increase, which is a positive signal that the market has started to recover from the freight recession. On the flip side, reefer outbound volumes are down 16.78% compared to last year but still up from 2022.
Is SONAR for you? Check it out with a demo!
Shelf life
Lineage announces a grand prize of $50,000 for the Food Chain Innovation Challenge
Profiles in transportation management excellence: Molson Coors’ success with drop and hook
Is wool-insulated cold transport the future?
Brynwood Partners acquires frozen pizza manufacturer
Wanna chat in the cooler? Shoot me an email with comments, questions or story ideas at moconnell@freightwaves.com.
See you on the internet.
Mary
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