Cochin International Airport handles frozen cooked shrimp exports to US

The cargo division of Cochin International Airport Ltd has facilitated temperature-controlled air cargo containers to transport frozen cooked shrimp to the United States.

This is for the first time in Kerala that an airport has facilitated the shipment of cargo in most advanced RAP –t2 cargo containers in which around a tonne of dry ice is kept to maintain the temperature at minus 20 degree during the entire transit time.

The cargo was handled for Choice Group in association with Emirates Sky Cargo to carry its products to New York.

The first of these containers, loaded with 188 cartons of frozen cooked shrimp and cocktail sauce, was airlifted out of CIAL’s Centre for Perishable cargo to JFK International airport, New York, by Emirates Airlines on Sunday.

First time for seafood

Generally used to carry pharmaceuticals and high value perishables, these containers are being used to carry seafood from Kerala for the first time. The Covid-19 pandemic with its lockdowns and restrictions has led to serious loss of production time and this has forced the Choice Canning Company to look beyond conventional means of shipping the cargo in order to honour their commitment to the customers.

Since dry ice is classified as a dangerous good, CIAL used special equipment and protective gears during the transiting of cargo to from the perishable cargo terminal to the aircraft.

This will be the first of the four air cargo containers to be shipped out by the Choice Group through CIAL on Emirates Sky Cargo during the week. The total quantity of shipment planned to uplift is around 750 cartons of frozen cooked shrimp and cocktail sauce.