SATS Coolport to provide meat transshipment services between New Zealand and the EU

Apr 20, 2017: Singapore’s SATS is the world’s first ground handler to receive European Union (EU) approval as an authorised establishment for the provision of meat transshipment services between New Zealand and the EU.

Meat shipments from New Zealand destined for EU markets can now transit through Singapore via SATS Coolport, Asia's first on-airport perishable handling centre. SATS Coolport’s approval from the EU as an authorised establishment was strongly supported by International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA). Both agencies facilitated the process to engage authorities in the EU and New Zealand to approve Singapore as a transshipment country and SATS Coolport as the authorised handling centre.

Being an authorised establishment, SATS is now able to break down and reconsolidate meat shipments from New Zealand for redistribution to the EU markets. SATS is also able to present customers with cost-effective multimodal freight solutions that give them a competitive advantage by expediting the sale of perishable products into the European market. SATS successfully handled the first air-sea transhipment of lamb products from New Zealand to the United Kingdom (UK) in January this year.

This newly approved trade route for meat products presents many opportunities for Singapore, as well as SATS as the company establishes itself as a consolidation hub and redistribution centre for perishable products from South West Pacific to the rest of the world.

In addition, the cost-effective air-sea transportation option also helps to increase New Zealand’s capacity to export more lamb shipments to the EU. With this new trade flow, SATS is looking at an approximately 10 percent increase in lamb shipments over the next two years.

“The transshipment of chilled lamb products from New Zealand to Europe is a good example of how multimodal transshipment can help grow trade,” says Alex Hungate, president and chief executive officer, SATS. “Multimodal transportation enables exporters to transport products with greater speed and economy to Europe. SATS Coolport helps change the dynamics of exports for countries like New Zealand. This partnership with IE Singapore has been integral in expanding our market by creating benefits for both importers and exporters,” added Hungate.

As the agency in charge of trade, IE Singapore has been working with the private sector including SATS, to leverage Singapore companies’ capabilities and the country’s excellent connectivity to identify and facilitate new trade flows between demand and supply markets.

Identifying the New Zealand-Singapore-EU trade route as an opportunity, IE Singapore partnered SATS as one of the key Singapore gateway services companies to enable this new trade flow with its perishable handling capabilities.

SATS will continue to work with IE Singapore to promote and encourage Singapore companies in logistics, food trading and financing to leverage this trade flow to explore new business growth. The agency has also been working closely with producers and exporters across New Zealand to share the benefits of this new flow. The approval is not just limited to lamb products, but also extends to other meat types like beef, pork, poultry, wild and farmed game meat originating from New Zealand.

Photo: SATS