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Samskip moves plants in reefers over European rail

The so-called “flora container,” developed by Unit45, allows plants and flowers to be transported by multimodal rail.

   Logistics services provider Samskip and the VGB, a Dutch association of wholesalers in floricultural products, have successfully completed the first rail transport tests of plants by refrigerated container from the Netherlands to Sweden.
   The so-called “flora container” has been developed by Unit45 to allow plants and flowers to be transported by multimodal rail. The containers can handle up to 43 flower trolleys each.
   “During rail transport of the flora container from Duisburg to Sweden, an integrated diesel generator supports active temperature control of the plants. The container is equipped with real-time tracking and temperature monitoring,” Samskip explained in a statement.
   The company and trade association found that the transit time between the Netherlands and southern Sweden matched that of road transportation.

Chris Gillis

Located in the Washington, D.C. area, Chris Gillis primarily reports on regulatory and legislative topics that impact cross-border trade. He joined American Shipper in 1994, shortly after graduating from Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Md., with a degree in international business and economics.