NEWS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
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Thermal test chamber
– a step towards food safety
The ammonia refrigeration plant that powers the test chamber is located outside.
T
he project was made possible by
various stakeholders in the cold
chain industry, who were able to
see the finished chamber for the first
time during the final steering committee
meeting.
The project was implemented from April
2013 to May 2017 and was commissioned
by the German Ministry for the Environment,
Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear
Safety (BMUB). The expected accumulated
emissions savings potential amounts to two
million tons CO 2 -equivalent by 2030.
“At a time when ‘green’ intelligence
and the labelling of carbon footprint is
creeping into the South African economy
and the creation of job opportunities,
the Department of Trade and Industry
(dti) welcomed the partnerships with
the GIZ refrigerated distribution project,”
said Gerhard Fourie, chief director green
industries (dti), in his welcoming address.
He went on to tell those at the
opening of the SABS vehicle thermal test
chamber that any improvement in the
energy efficiency of the transportation
10
of perishables is an improvement in the
bottom line of life. “We all depend on
perishable foodstuffs for a healthy lifestyle
and the GIZ project is a giant step towards
sustainability in that direction,” he said.
In October 2011, GIZ started the
groundwork of a project that would
mitigate the carbon emissions from the
transportation of temperature-sensitive
perishables in South Africa. The project
— funded by the German Ministry for
the Environment, Nature Conservation,
Building, and Nuclear Safety as part of the
International Climate Initiative (IKI) — would
partner with the South African government
(the dti, the Department of Environmental
Affairs, the Department of Transport, and
others), and trade associations.
After collaboration with role players
and trade associations, a chamber to test
the thermal performance of refrigerated
vehicles used in the transportation of
perishables was agreed upon as an
important element of the GIZ project.
Following a transparent procurement
process of public tenders and engagement
Gerhard Fourie, chief director green industries (dti), delivering the opening address.
with all role players, the chamber was
completed and officially opened on
23 May 2017.
Joost Schmallenbach, head of the
Political Department in the German
Embassy, added to Fourie’s views.
“Although not a scientist, it makes good
sense to me to optimise the performance of
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
refrigerated vehicles with the least energy
usage and to safeguard the food that
we eat.
The German government invested
EUR3.5-million towards the refrigerated
transport project in South Africa and is one
of 514 projects done worldwide to mitigate
climate change.”
COLD LINK AFRICA • July | August 2017