A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk) has officially inaugurated the Belcon Cold Store facility in Cape Town, marking a key milestone in its over $100 million investment in South Africa’s cold chain infrastructure.
The new facility strengthens South Africa’s cold chain network, which is critical for citrus, table grapes, and other agricultural exports; it addresses logistical inefficiencies that previously cost the industry up to 1.5 billion ZAR ($87.7 million) annually.
Belcon Cold Store joins Maersk’s three-facility South African network with Cato and PreCool, offering 32,000 pallet positions, port access, rail and highway links, an on-site container depot, and renewable energy; together, they ensure unbroken cold chains and minimise supply chain waste.
As an integrated logistics provider, Maersk offers end-to-end services, with Belcon Cold Store helping exporters preserve product quality and reach global markets efficiently.
Lubabalo Mtya, Managing Director of Maersk Southern Africa & Islands, said: “By strengthening South Africa’s cold chain infrastructure, we are supporting the competitiveness of local exporters and contributing to the country’s economic growth.”
Recently, Maersk converted a warehouse into a dedicated coldstore at its Taulov/Fredericia facility in Denmark to support Arla’s temperature-sensitive dairy product storage needs.