Oil Patch Bits: Crowley transforms refrigerated container fleet

Crowley Maritime Corp. said Oct. 26 that when its liner services group takes delivery of 355 new 40-foot-high cube refrigerated containers later this year, it will mark an important milestone on the path to world-class environmental stewardship: conversion of nearly a quarter of its refrigerated fleet to Carrier Transicold PrimeLINE units, the industry’s most energy-efficient container refrigeration units.

“The PrimeLINE unit offers improved efficiencies and reduced power consumption, which reduces our emissions and impact on the environment,” said John Azzo, Crowley’s director of strategic procurement. The latest 40-foot-high cube refrigerated containers are also Crowley’s first to use sustainable polyurethane technology foam, a highly efficient insulator with substantially lower global warming potential than conventional insulation.

A leading ocean cargo carrier within its service region, Crowley dedicates most of its refrigerated containers to perishable produce trade, although the unit’s high performance at the lowest temperatures will also serve in the delivery of frozen foods such as ice cream. With the recent order for 355 PrimeLINE units, Crowley will have a total of 755 of the industry leading digital scroll units in its growing fleet of 3,250 refrigerated containers.