Plans for fast shipping line to America

A good demand for peppers from the United States led Wim Grootscholte of the cultivation company 4 Evergreen - with locations in Steenbergen, Sint-Annaland, Terneuzen, Honselersdijk and 's-Gravenzande - to wonder if there wasn't an alternative to the expensive air transport. "A fast shipping line would be the solution for the Nederlandse Tuinbouw BV," says the Horticultural Entrepreneur of the year. "A good demand from the United States on one side and probably difficult sales to Russia on the other."

Wim at the awards ceremony of the Horticultural Entrepreneur award

A conversation with buyers confirmed his suspicion that the demand from the American market could rise hugely in the near future. The harvest in California, which produces over half of the American fruit and vegetable production, has been strongly reduced by drought. "They say they will need two or three wet years to get the reservoirs back to the right level," says Wim.

Flowers
Together with Leo Lagendijk, commercial manager of Zeeland Seaports, he went in search of those interested. Because shipping companies need a large volume for a quick shipping line, Grootscholte calls for interested exporters to sign up. "It doesn't have to be vegetables. A lot of flowers go to the United States from Holland by air. I am convinced that there is a cheaper alternative. Air transport costs us 1.10 Euro per kilo of peppers. Transport by sea could be done for 40/50 cents, which is a huge difference."

"Around eight years ago there was already an initiative to sail from Zeebrugge to the US, but those plans were shelved due to the crisis. The large shipping agencies also all went down a notch. Then there's the fact that upon arrival in New York the despatching of the containers is four weeks behind. This is why we think that sales to the east coast of America with smaller, but faster boats is a great alternative. After conversations with multiple shipping companies that are positive we were asked what kind of volume it would be. This is what we are trying to figure out. Hence this appeal."

Those interested can contact:
Wim Grootscholte
wim@grootscholte.nl
Mob: 0031 6-53734454