NZ KIWIFRUIT marketer Zespri International has despatched the first shipments in what is expected to be a record export season supplying more than 50 markets worldwide.

The first charter shipment left Tauranga last week bound for Shanghai aboard the conventional reefer Kowhai – named by Zespri in 2020 – carrying 1.2 million trays or around 5,400 tonnes of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, as well as 16 containers of Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit for customers in China.

Kowhai is due to reach Shanghai at the end of March while Zespri’s second charter of the season, Oriental Iris, also departed last week, bound for Tokyo as the season gets into full swing.

These are the first of 61 charter vessels Zespri will use this season to ship its largest-ever expected crop from New Zealand of 200 million trays, or 720,000 tonnes of Zespri Green, SunGold and RubyRed Kiwifruit, Zespri said.

Zespri’s charter programme using refrigerated reefer vessels with fruit stored in holds in the body of the ship, allows the kiwifruit marketer to carry more fruit and provide more certainty by sailing straight to market without calling on other ports en route.

Zespri CEO Jason Te Brake the season was off to a positive start and there was always a buzz around the industry when the first charters depart.

“It’s pleasing to see such a strong level of confidence within the industry – customers and consumers want more of our fruit which is helping us secure good value for growers, we’ve reached some significant milestones including taking our fruit to more than 100 million households, and there’s been really positive conditions for both growing and harvesting this season’s crop.

“Our focus now is on maintaining this momentum and completing a successful harvest, ensuring that we provide high quality fruit throughout the season.”

Charter shipments this season will include three services to Northern Europe, 14 to the Mediterranean, one to North America’s West Coast and 43 to Asia, with the remaining volume to be shipped using container services. 

The main carrier in the latter carrier is the weekly CMA CGM/Marfret PAD/NASP service to Europe via Panama, which is restoring its seasonal calls at Zeebrugge to serve Zespri. The service is including some Marsden Point calls in NZ, as well as Tauranga, and has switched its Central America calls from Manzanillo, Panama to Cartagena, Columbia.