TOTE Maritime buys 350 high-tech reefers

The new refrigerated containers are scheduled to arrive at the company’s Jacksonville, Fla. headquarters this summer, and will service the Puerto Rico trade route.

   Ocean carrier TOTE Maritime is buying 350 new high-tech smart refrigerated containers (reefers) to service the Puerto Rico trade route, the company said in a statement.
   The new reefers are scheduled to arrive at the company’s Jacksonville, Fla. headquarters this summer, and will be equipped with Carrier United Technology’s “PrimeLINE” machinery, which is among the latest cooling technology available for refrigerated equipment.
   In addition to the 350 new containers, TOTE Maritime said it also received 100 new Carrier gensets this past spring to provide power to its reefer fleet.
   TOTE Maritime has for years used machine-to-machine (M2M) telematics technology to remotely monitor and control conditions of refrigerated perishables during transport. Since 2011, the company has deployed mobile network provider company Orbcomm’s “StarGuard” system to monitor and control its refrigerated containers from point of origin to destination.
   TOTE Maritime’s entire reefer fleet is now equipped with the “StarGuard” system. The reefer monitoring, TOTE has said, maximizes safety and efficiency of supply chain operations while providing clients crucial real-time, end-to-end visibility of their shipments in its cold chain.
   The company also says it fleet will now also utilize Orbcomm’s new GMS-based “VesselConnect” M2M application, securely provides critical real-time data from reefers.
   The new technology allows TOTE to monitor set points, conduct pre-trip inspections on-board and expedite cargo distribution on land. “VesselConnect” also provides the monitoring and record-keeping needed for compliance with the new requirements of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act being implemented this year, the company said.
   “Our customers rely on TOTE Maritime for dependable refrigerated shipping,” said TOTE Vice President Bill Taylor said. “That’s why it is so important for us to maintain the youngest, most efficient fleet in the industry.”
   TOTE’s service to Puerto Rico includes twice-weekly sailings between Jacksonville and San Juan.