Cool Carriers has taken delivery of the first vessel in a new series of specialized reefer carriers built by Kitanihon Shipbuilding in Japan. The vessel, Snow Flower, was delivered on 4 March.
The new Type Reefer Carriers are designed to transport 5,000 high-cube pallets of perishable fruit and up to 168 reefer containers at a service speed of 18 knots. Two vessels in the series will have capacities of more than 630,000 cubic feet, while five will have capacities of about 660,000 cubic feet.
© Cool Carriers
All vessels will share the same specifications and form a new series. Deliveries are scheduled from March 2026 through 2028. The vessel names are based on the company's earlier Snow-class ships.
The vessels include updated hull and propulsion designs and engines intended to meet IMO and EU environmental regulations through 2030 and beyond.
The order is part of the company's fleet renewal program. Cool Carriers currently has seven vessels on order, with two scheduled for delivery during the remainder of 2026.
Cool Carriers operates both owned and time-chartered vessels, including ships leased from Japanese owners. The fleet expansion increases reefer cargo capacity, with vessels able to carry up to 14,000 pallets under deck and in containers combined.
The company operates on trade routes including New Zealand to Europe for kiwifruit shipments, Chile to the United States, Ecuador banana exports, and shipments from South Africa and Argentina to Europe.
Glenn Selling, Chief Operating Officer at Cool Carriers, said the new series is designed to accommodate high-cube cargo.
"Cool Carriers is proud to introduce the Snow class. With a 2.5-metre deck height, these vessels represent a major step forward for the specialized reefer industry. Exporters will no longer need to choose between standard and high-cube pallets – the new vessels are designed entirely for high-cube cargo, matching the internal height of modern reefer containers."
© Cool CarriersFor more information:
Cool Carriers
Tel: +357 25 055590
Email: [email protected]
www.cool-carriers.com
