Lerwick-based Shetland Transport has taken delivery of its first Carrier Transicold Vector™ 1950 transport refrigeration units, selecting the high-powered systems for two new refrigerated curtainside semi-trailers. Carrier Transicold, which operates in the UK as Carrier Transicold UK, is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).
The pair of 13.6 metre Gray & Adams trailers – commonly referred to as insuliners – are being trialled by the haulier on its fresh fish contracts. Key to securing the order was the Vector 1950 units’ high-performance cooling and unparalleled pull-down speed.
“Transporting fresh produce requires absolute cold chain integrity,” said Hamish Balfour, managing director, Shetland Transport. “While the insuliners give us flexible side access loading, they require a powerful cooling system that is capable of bringing the temperature down quickly in between drop-offs.
“We’ve got 30 years’ experience of running Carrier Transicold units on our fleet, and I’m confident these new Vector 1950 systems are the right choice for this demanding application,” said Balfour.
The new trailers join a fleet of 50 trucks and 100 trailers and are expected to cover 60,000 miles each year delivering farmed salmon across the UK – before returning to the islands with fresh produce.
With a cooling capacity of 18,875 watts – the highest in the Vector range – the Vector 1950 systems are ideally suited to hauling large loads in applications with frequent delivery stops. An airflow of 5,700 cubic metres per hour and homogenous air distribution allow for precise temperature control of between -20 and +30 degrees Celsius, while patented E-Drive™ technology increases system uptime and reliability.
Established in 1983, Shetland Transport is a family-run freight and haulage business, based in Lerwick, with depots in Aberdeen and Glasgow. The company operates one of the remotest haulage fleets in the UK, with its vehicles enduring a minimum 12-hour journey by ferry just to reach the mainland.
