The impact of slow steaming on refrigerated exports from New Zealand

Abstract

The practice of slow steaming has had a significant impact on New Zealand export industries with increased transit times in some cases causing significant reductions in shelf life once the product has reached the retail stage. The longer transit times also impose the extra cost to exporters of having more inventory tied up in transit. While there is clear evidence to suggest slow steaming has reduced fuel consumption and hence fuel emissions and fuel costs, these savings have not been passed on by the liners to their customers. However, there is no indication that slow-steaming has caused a significant reduction in export earnings for New Zealand (at least up to the middle of 2014). A predicted move to super-slow steaming would put extra strain on the New Zealand meat industry especially, with their lucrative European chilled lamb market under particular threat.