Del Monte Brings Green Vessels to Port of Hueneme

Commitment to Environment and Low Congestion Makes Port Thrive

See press release

MARCH 19, 2021 – The Port of Hueneme welcomed the first of two cutting-edge, energy-efficient Del Monte vessels to the Port of Hueneme today. The ships’ arrival marks a new chapter in environmental partnership, continuing the Port’s mission to be the cleanest, greenest, most efficient port possible.

Dona Lacayo, Chief Commercial & Public Affairs Officer, Port of Hueneme; Peter Dunton, Vice President of Operations, Ports America; Heidi Magel; Chuck Caulkins, Port Manager, Del Monte, Del Monte Valiant Ship Captain Aleksandrs Oniscenko; Ramon Ramos, Operations Manager, Port of Hueneme, Del Monte; Kristin Decas, CEO & Director, Port of Hueneme; Peter Levesque, President, Ports America; Casey Dexter, General Manager, Ports America

Del Monte Valiant was the first to arrive; the Del Monte Harvester will make its first call next week. These ships are part of a new, six-vessel fleet — all have full cargo capacity of 1,276 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) with 634 plugs for forty-foot high cube reefer containers. The air-cooled containers will maintain the cargo at specified temperatures, traveling in reefer mode with multiple temperature variants from -25C to 40C. These features will help ensure that the produce ships, bringing bananas and pineapples to the Port, will arrive as fresh as possible, so that they can be transported to stores and homes in our communities.

Port CEO & Director Kristin Decas as well as representatives from Del Monte, Ports America, A.R. Savage and Son LLC and Moran Shipping Agencies were on hand to welcome the vessel. Ms. Decas presented a First Vessel plaque to Captain Aleksandrs Oniscenko.

“Del Monte is our longest-standing customer at the Port,” said Oxnard Harbor District President Jason T. Hodge. “This development shows 42 years of cooperation and collaboration between Del Monte and the Port of Hueneme, and we look forward to many more years of success.”

In addition to innovative design ensuring efficient fuel consumption, the Valiant and her sister ships are fitted with environmentally beneficial features, including a Hybrid Scrubber system, which meets all international requirements to reduce pollution and control emissions of noxious substances, and shore power connection, so that the ships are zero emission while docked at the Port.

“We have been working towards this goal since 2017 and could not be more excited to see it come to fruition,” said Helmuth Lutty, Senior Vice President of Shipping Operations for Fresh Del Monte Produce. “As one of the world’s leading producer, marketer and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables, we have set a very high bar for all the reefer containers and ships in our fleet. These six new vessels set the bar even higher, and allow us to deliver the high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables we are known for while meeting our sustainability goals.”

“Today, shipping accounts for the largest portion of our global energy use,” said Hans Sauter, Chief Sustainability Officer of Fresh Del Monte Produce. “In 2018 we committed to lead by example and reduce our vessel emission by 10 percent. With the addition of these six new container vessels we are well on our way, estimating a savings of nearly 19 thousand metric tons of fuel each year.”

For more information on Fresh Del Monte and its sustainability efforts, please visit: https://www.freshdelmontecsr.com

The Port of Hueneme is one of the most productive and efficient commercial trade gateways for niche cargo on the West Coast. The Port is governed by five locally elected Port Commissioners. The Port moves $10.85 billion in goods each year and consistently ranks among the top ten U.S. ports for automobiles and fresh produce. Port operations support the community by bringing $1.7 billion in economic activity and creating 15,834 trade-related jobs. Trade through the Port of Hueneme generates more than $119 million in direct and related state and local taxes, which fund vital community services. In 2017, the Port of Hueneme became the first port in California to become Green Marine certified and was voted the Greenest Port in the U.S. at the Green Shipping Summit.