Carrier’s Refrigeration Unit for Ships Tops Records

Reflecting the shipping industry’s continued trend in the adoption of energy efficient equipment which reduces lifecycle costs, Carrier Transicold reported that its PrimeLINE® container refrigeration unit has surpassed previous records, selling nearly the same number of units in 2011 as in the prior three years combined.

“For four successive years, the PrimeLINE unit has outsold all competitive models, and 2011 – a record year for the industry – accelerated this trend,” said David Appel, president, Carrier Transicold.

Appel credited the PrimeLINE unit’s success with its industry-leading efficiency, which responds to the market’s need for more sustainable solutions. Carrier’s ThinLINE® unit, the historic market leader, also surpassed previous-year sales in 2011.

“When Carrier introduced the PrimeLINE unit in 2007, we set a new benchmark for efficiency,” Appel said. “The timing was right for shipping lines of all sizes, as the new reality of uncertain and ever-climbing fuel costs took an increasingly large toll on their bottom lines. With fuel prices again approaching record levels, the need for energy efficiency is as essential as ever.”

Over the years, Carrier has received significant orders from Maersk Line, Evergreen Line, Hamburg Süd, Chiquita, Dole, Crowley Maritime, Arkas Shipping and Transport and many others in the shipping, leasing and exporter sectors.

The PrimeLINE unit’s exceptional efficiency – thanks in part to its efficient digital scroll compressor – significantly reduces on-board power generation requirements, helping shipping lines save fuel used in the generation of electricity. This, in turn, helps hold down operating costs and reduce emissions related to power generation. The PrimeLINE unit reduces carbon emissions 28 percent compared to previous units.

As fuel is the leading component of ownership cost over the life of a unit, energy efficiency helps to keep the total cost of ownership low.