By: MAERSK

Maersk Inaugurates Belcon Cold Store in Cape Town

Global integrated logistics leader Maersk has officially inaugurated the Belcon Cold Store facility in Cape Town. This event marks a significant milestone in the company's strategic investment of over USD 100 million into South Africa's cold chain infrastructure. The investment underscores Maersk's long-term commitment to the South African economy and its focus on delivering value to the nation's businesses and people.

According to Lubabalo Mtya, Managing Director of Maersk Southern Africa & Islands, the company's ambition in the region has never been stronger after over three decades of presence. He stated that Maersk is dedicated to building logistics solutions that create tangible value for customers while contributing to South Africa's economic prosperity.

Addressing a Critical Industry Challenge

The inauguration of the Belcon Cold Store directly addresses a pressing challenge within South Africa's perishable exports sector. The country's grape industry, for instance, has suffered annual losses of up to 1.5 billion Rand due to logistics delays and breaks in the cold chain. These inconsistencies in cold-chain logistics performance have led to substantial financial losses for exporters of temperature-sensitive produce, such as citrus and table grapes, which dominate the nation's agricultural exports.

Lubabalo Mtya highlighted that there was a clear and critical need to strengthen the country's cold chain infrastructure to minimize these losses and support the global competitiveness of local exporters.

A Network of World-Class Facilities

With the addition of Belcon, Maersk now operates three world-class cold storage facilities in South Africa, forming a comprehensive network designed to support exporters' demanding requirements. The facilities—Belcon, Cato, and PreCool—collectively offer 32,000 pallet positions and are strategically located near the ports of Cape Town and Durban.

The network is designed for seamless multimodal transport, featuring rail sidings and highway connections. It also includes on-site container depots for efficient cargo handling and incorporates renewable energy systems to help decarbonize supply chains. Having ramped up operations in the second half of 2025, these facilities have already delivered positive impacts during the critical citrus season by ensuring product quality and reducing supply chain waste.

Providing Integrated End-to-End Solutions

As an integrated logistics provider, Maersk's offerings extend far beyond ocean shipping. Customers exporting perishables through Maersk's South African network now have access to comprehensive end-to-end services. This integrated approach includes consolidation, temperature-controlled storage, customs brokerage, terminal handling, and both ocean and landside transportation at the origin and destination.

Mtya explained that this model is a direct response to customer needs, moving beyond "business as usual" to provide complete logistics solutions that tackle their most pressing challenges.

Demonstrating Commitment to South Africa's Future

Maersk's investment of over USD 100 million reflects the company's confidence in South Africa's economic potential. By building reliable, temperature-controlled logistics infrastructure, Maersk is positioned as a strategic partner to the agricultural sector, helping South African exporters maintain product quality, reduce losses, and compete more effectively in international markets.

The Belcon Cold Store inauguration reinforces Maersk's dedication to delivering solutions that create a meaningful impact on the nation's economy and the livelihoods of its people.