Refrigerated Cargo

WELCOME TO THE PREMIER COLD CHAIN SHIPPING SOLUTION.

Transporting refrigerated cargo is faster and more cost-efficient than ever – at least when you work with North Carolina Ports. The Port of Wilmington is located near ideal distribution channels, including water, interstate and rail, and delivers best-in-class vessel productivity and container gate turn times. That means we are poised to keep your business moving, and your costs down.

With the recent completion of Phase 2 of our refrigerated container yard, NC Ports now offers more than 1,500 reefer plugs with the ability to increase that number as we expand the Port of Wilmington’s container terminal.

In addition, there has also been meaningful industry investment and substantial growth outside our gates that will grow volumes through our terminals. Near the Port of Wilmington, more than one million square feet of new cold storage space is set to come online.

As North Carolina is one of the nation’s fastest growing states, more consumers require year-round access to fruits, vegetables and proteins. NC Ports is strategically positioned to meet this demand while supporting the continued growth in the export market for our region’s pork, poultry, fruits, vegetables and specialty crops.

Given North Carolina’s significant grocery sector footprint, and the perishable import distribution that service this growing demand, NC Ports serves as an ideal refrigerated cargo shipping gateway for central U.S. and east coast locations, saving our customers time, money and distance to consumers.

Interested in discussing how we can accommodate your refrigerated cargo needs? Let’s talk – call us at 1-800-334-0682.

* – Container Port Performance Index

Best in Class Productivity

  • Ranked most productive port in North America (Container Port Performance Index)
  • One of the highest crane productivity rates on the U.S. East Coast
  • No vessel or rail dwell
  • Fastest turn times on the U.S. East Coast

On-Port Capabilities

  • Owner-operator port handling chilled, fresh and frozen
  • 1,500 reefer plugs with the ability to expand to 2,000+
  • On-dock cold storage and cross-docking station
  • USDA, CBP collaboration for seamless on-port inspections
  • On-port cold treatment completion and conventional treatment
  • Overweight container allowance
  • Six-lane reefer service area
  • On-site maintenance and repair services
  • On-demand reefer wash station
  • Dedicated customer service team
  • Customer Access Portal (CAP): real-time visibility of cargo movements

Near-Port Capabilities

  • Near-port cold storage supporting produce, protein and life sciences
  • Near-port USDA APHIS certified cold treatment facility


Cold Cargo Opportunities

  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Pork & Poultry
  • Seafood
  • Bananas
  • Pineapples
  • Blueberries
  • Grapes
  • Citrus
  • Avocados
  • Apples/Pears
  • Melons
  • Fresh Vegetables

Regional Value-Added Services

  • Receiving
  • Grading
  • Packing
  • Re-packing
  • Bagging
  • Ripening
  • Pre-cooling
  • IQF
  • Slicing/dicing
  • Blanching
  • Labeling
  • Marketing
  • Nationwide Distribution
  • Real-time Inventory Control
  • Reporting

MORE INFORMATION

If you would like to learn more about how your business can get a competitive advantage, please fill out and submit this online form.