A.P. Moller-Maersk on Thursday announced the closure of its Dongguan container factory in China and a shift to refrigerated containers for shipping food. The decision was reportedly made as a result of increased demand for refrigerated containers to accommodate global demand for fresh produce and other commodities. The Danish shipping group in a statement said 100,000 40-foot containers, a year capacity factory with 2,240 employees has been idle since the beginning of December due to increased competition in the dry container market. Maersk, the world’s biggest container shipper, warned in November that a trade war between China and the United States would hit demand for container shipping in the coming years.
Maersk has shut down its Dongguan container plant in China as it seeks to shift focus on refrigerated containers to transport food. The company said its 2,240 a year capacity facility producing 40-foot containers has been unused since the start of December, because of higher competition in the dry container market. The company is now looking to capture global demand for fresh produce and the increased need for refrigerated containers.