Maersk teams up with UN to combat global food waste

To combat global food waste, Maersk Container Industry (MCI) has joined the United Nations’ SAVE FOOD initiative to help make international food logistics more efficient.

Food losses in industrialised countries are as high as in developing countries, but in developing countries more than 40% of food loss occurs at postharvest and processing levels, while in industrialised countries, more than 40% of food loss occurs at retail and consumer levels, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation says.

As part of SAVE FOOD, MCI and other companies will share their expertise to reduce food waste.

“Food is lost or wasted in all links of the food value chain, including transport and distribution,” said Robert van Otterdijk from UN SAVE FOOD. “One way to improve is to share knowledge across all links in the food value chain.”

To date, MCI has hosted a refrigeration expert conference on optimal handling of fruit and vegetables and signed a memorandum of understanding with Chilean fruit exporters’ association ASOEX to exchange knowledge and optimise the use of technologies that can extend shipments of fruit and vegetables.