SIMIC

HONG Kong's Modern Terminals has set a new record by discharging 1,941 active reefer containers packed with Chilean cherries from the Hapag-Lloyd's vessel Itajai Express which arrived on February 4.

"This is the highest number of Chilean cherry containers discharged from a single vessel call, surpassing last season's record by 59 per cent," Modern Terminals said in a statement.



"Every year, our Cherry Express service offers competitive transit times from Valparaiso to Hong Kong for the Chilean cherry exporters. We have complete confidence in the terminal operators here to handle the record-breaking container volumes. The service at the terminals and the efficiency of the clearance processes in Hong Kong ensure fresh cherries can reach consumer markets in South China in only a few hours," said Danny Chui, sales director & office manager of Hapag-Lloyd's Hong Kong office.



Rose Lee, Deputy director of International Logistics at Joy Wing Mau, a premier fruit importer to China, said: "China is the major market for Chilean cherries, said to account for around 90 per cent of the product. The flexible terminal handling processes in Hong Kong allow speedy dispatch after discharge with 'hot box' collection enabling same day delivery to the Mainland China market."



Horace Lo, group managing Director of Modern Terminals Limited said: "Hong Kong enjoys a unique free port status and with our hot box arrangements, containers can be on the way by road or by barge shortly after discharge. So far this season, nearly 50 per cent of all the containers from the Cherry Express ships exited our terminal within one hour from being discharged from the ship. An amazing 90 per cent of the containers left the terminal within 12 hours of being discharged from the ship. Nothing beats Hong Kong's efficiency and service levels!"