AQUALIFE: Breakthrough for live shellfish container transport while MAERSK opens new direct connection to Europe
Maersk Line has given AQUALIFE A/S an important breakthrough with the new Halifax Rotterdam container corridor. The shipping company has just decided to call the eastern Canadian port Halifax into port with a direct connection to Europe.
The connection is going to secure AQUALIFE the most efficient transportation of living Canadian lobsters to Europe. The export of the lobsters between North America and Europe is on approx 1,3 billion DKK yearly, whereas the freight proceeds account for about 180 M DKK – today the whole Canadian lobster export is transported by air freight.
The direct container corridor supports a new development in the marked in time. From 2011 every fresh food in the French retail is added a label, which states the products C02 accounts (carbon-foot-print). Here, for one thing, lobsters freighted in the AQUALIFE-system will clearly appear as the eco-friendly alternative to air freighted lobsters. Solely in France, yearly the consumption is more than 3.000 ton North American lobsters for a value of 330 M DKK. It is expected that the new French law about labelling will create precedent in the rest of Europe.
The new Maersk-connection to Halifax gives AQUALIFE a significant competitive advantage compared to air freight; just as there is no solutions found in the marked that as AQUALIFE is based upon efficient and gentle sea transport. It is possible to create a business, based upon the lobster corridor between Canada and Europe, which over time can encounter a three-figure million range.
Maersk Line’s decision of calling into port in Halifax has obviously excited the city, which can present the biggest container harbour on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. The decision involves generally better transport possibilities to and from the eastern part of Canada, and at the same time it has a big impact at the fishing industry now and on longer terms.
The overall export of living lobsters from North America to Europe is at this point approx 15.000 ton a year. Hereof, 3.400 ton is exported directly from the Canadian side of the Atlantic Ocean, while the rest is either exported via USA or delivered by fishermen from the North American state, Maine.
The value of the overall, global lobster export from Canada is approx 4,4 billion DKK and accounts for approx 55.000 ton – today the lobster is the most important export article from the eastern Canada. As a result of the limited Canadian air freight structure, the greatest part of the present Canadian production today is handled via intermediary to USA.
