Issue link: http://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/715089
Furthermore, adding the customs clearance and refrigerated warehousing services in Miami has made our operations more cost effective." intermodal equipment, with more than 21,600 dry containers, all of which come in a variety of sizes and are strategically located throughout the United States, Central America and the Caribbean. "Our refrigerated containers guarantee the temperature is maintained from point of origin to final destination, which is especially important to temperature- sensitive fruits like tomatoes, which need to be kept at 54 degrees Fahrenheit in order to preserve optimum condition," said Carlos Banegas, regional manager, reefer accounts, Central America, northern zone. "Our team of industry- experienced professionals makes sure the refrigerated chain is not interrupted as customer products are carried inside one of our state-of-the-art reefers." Further evidence of Crowley's commitment to the Central America and Caribbean trade is last year's acquisition of SeaFreight and SeaPack, which immediately expanded the company's footprint in the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America. This led to the expansion of the Port Everglades terminal with a refrigerated receiving warehouse that includes nine cargo doors to expedite all perishable shipments once received stateside. Full-Service Logistics from Origin to Destination As soon as the customer's product is ready for export, the Crowley team is prepared to deliver. "As soon as we receive the order from the customer, the reefers have already gone through our unique sanitization process and are good to go," said Asenet Figueroa, account executive, Guatemala. "After washing the containers, our professionals use a special sanitizing agent to guarantee there will be no bacteria left that could endanger the cargo." Crowley's sanitization process also guarantees cargo will pass local government inspections, allowing the shipping process to commence as soon as the containers have been loaded. Exporting fresh, perishable products is a time-sensitive operation. The average life of fruits and vegetables is 21 days and the clock starts ticking once the product has been harvested from its plant. Within those 21 days, the product will travel from the farm to the packaging plant where it will be washed, labeled, 18 18 Left: When exporting from Central America, Crowley customers benefit from multiple, weekly sailings, ensuring continuous cargo movement. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF CROWLEY'S INTEGRATED LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS. Click Here for Video