When doing your grocery shopping, you spot a bright bunch of bananas and stow it in your shopping cart. Have you ever spared a thought for the journey they have been on? Most of the bananas have traveled halfway across the world to end up on your dining table.
How are they transported?
The majority of the bananas have traveled around the world in tightly packed containers known as reefers stacked in huge container ships.
So how do they stay fresh as they traverse the high seas, perhaps for weeks at a time?
To preserve the bananas technology is involved. Danish shipping giant Maersk Line equips its 270,000 refrigerated containers, known as reefers – with Remote Container Management (RCM) tech that allows the company to track the following data.
- Location
- Power status
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Ventilation settings, even while at sea
How is the data transmitted?
The containers are known as reefers wirelessly beam data to a transmitter embedded on the cargo ship and relays the information to a satellite. The information is monitored by the tracking team.
What happens if there are technical issues?
The shipping companies have to pay compensation to suppliers if there are power outages and a shipment of bananas – or any other perishable foodstuffs – goes bad, so prevention can save millions.
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