Safe harbour: How can ports keep the fresh produce trade moving?

In this episode of the FRUIT LOGISTICA Podcast, Anne Saris from the Port of Rotterdam explains how they achieve the perfect balance of speed, cost efficiency, reliability, sustainability and security.

At FRUIT LOGISTICA in Berlin, host Carl Collen speaks with Anne Saris, the Port of Rotterdam's Business Manager for Agrofood and Distribution. Her remit is clear: to keep fresh fruit and vegetables moving quickly and cost-effectively while raising the bar on reliability, sustainability, and security. This involves combining the right facilities and infrastructure with smarter processes and digital tools to ensure cargo moves as smoothly as possible through the port.

The big shift is from breakbulk to the reefer container

Fifteen to twenty years ago, most fruit arrived on conventional palletised vessels. Today, around 95% of trade is containerised and is often carried on megaships with a capacity of up to 24,000 TEU. The volume of calls varies widely: some Latin American services bring only a few hundred boxes, many of which are reefers, while others discharge several thousand containers at a time. This diversity means that ports must rethink how they plan for and handle perishables within much larger container operations.

Building for fresh: the Rotterdam Food Hub

Rotterdam's response is a purpose-built cluster that complements its highly automated main terminals and existing cold storage network, which includes facilities such as Coolport. Designed around the reefer, the Food Hub comprises on-site cold stores, a terminal for small to mid-size container vessels and an empty depot to maintain efficient operations. The first anchor tenant is Innocent, which imports bulk orange juice via a dedicated liquid terminal and other ingredients in containers. The company then blends and bottles on site for rapid distribution across Europe, often within 24 hours of retailers.

Capacity, scanners and scale

Mainline terminals are expanding and already feature on-site scanning and high levels of automation. Over the next decade, Rotterdam expects to add a further 4 to 6 million TEU of capacity, creating more headroom for peak calls and giving dedicated fresh operations the space to prioritise reefers rather than treating them as a minority flow.

Why does it matter now?

Perishables have a short shelf life and work on tight margins. Every day gained – or handover removed – improves quality and reduces waste. A port model that prioritises the reefer helps importers keep produce in the premium window for longer and reach more markets with fewer losses.

Off the road and into the network: barge and rail

Currently, an estimated 99% of fresh produce logistics in Europe still relies on trucks. In order to reduce emissions, congestion and costs on longer routes to Scandinavia, the Baltic states and southern Europe, Rotterdam is placing greater emphasis on inland waterways and rail. The challenge is real: time-sensitive cargo and rail products are 'two different worlds'. Initiatives such as Fresh Rail aim to bridge this gap and provide a reliable alternative to road transport for perishable goods.

Digital first: data that extends into the hinterland

A Port Community System aggregates data from terminals, shipping lines, and service providers to increase transparency and improve planning beyond the quay. Night-time collection makes use of spare capacity: containers can be collected from terminals when the roads are quieter, stored at secure hinterland reefer hubs and then delivered for the 'last mile' when the cold stores open. The port is encouraging a cultural and operational shift towards 24/7 operations on both sides of the gate.

Security without friction

Security is rising up the agenda. The port is collaborating with customs and authorities in origin countries to develop end-to-end approaches based on data sharing, risk screening and smarter process design. These approaches tighten security while preserving the efficiency required for perishable goods.

Looking ahead

Expect more round-the-clock working, greater automation and a network of food hubs that consistently prioritise fresh cargo. For importers and retailers, this should result in steadier lead times, reduced waste, and improved planning.

This podcast episode was created in partnership with Fruitnet Media International. Comments, questions and suggestions are welcome on our social media channels.