Harsh, Russian winters prove no match for Thermo King's Magnum container

There are not many, if any, environments harsher than Russia's winters. It's not uncommon to experience -35 degree C temperatures, and the blowing winds create wind chill temperatures that simply cannot be imagined by most. But even in these extreme temperatures, Thermo King's Magnum container refrigeration unit performs like no other reefer on the market.

Fesco Transport Group, the number one shipping line in Russia, was looking for a reefer unit that could withstand the extreme environmental conditions of trans-Russian rail routes. Utilizing eight Magnum units, Dalreftrans, a reefer intermodal operating company of Fesco's Transport group, conducted a 12-month trial during 2007. Hauling all types of commodities - from frozen to chilled - Fesco's Dalreftrans put the Magnum reefers to the ultimate test.

"No doubt, traveling from the West to the East of Russia during the coldest months of the year can be challenging on equipment and people," said Sergey Proskuryakov, Fesco`s Dalreftrans deputy general director logistic. "We chose Magnum for the job because we had heard about its performance records, its capabilities, and its quality construction. Needless to say, the Magnum did not disappoint us."

Following the successful trial, Fesco ordered 250 Magnum units in early 2008, all of which are now in service throughout the Trans-Siberian or BAM Railway in Russia. Long reputed for its industry-leading -35 degree C cooling capability, the Magnum impressed FESCO most with its fresh product performance. "When traveling through such extreme cold temperatures, it wouldn't take long for a fresh-chilled product load to be lost if the unit malfunctioned," said Proskuryakov. "The Magnum was built to endure - from its paint, to its scroll compressor technology, to its overall construction.

"Plus, we benefit from faster pull-down, less energy consumption, and a reduced carbon footprint. These are factors that will help us compete, grow and excel as a shipping company."

Fesco, also known as the Far Eastern Shipping Company, has been doing all of those things for more than 125 years. The company's goal has always been to provide customers with the fastest transit times and most knowledgeable customer service team in the trade, all backed by high quality operations and the best and most modern equipment available today.

Its container fleet includes 20-foot and 40-foot dry, 20-foot and 40-foot high cube refrigerated, and 20-foot and 40-foot flat racks and open tops, as well as out-of-gauge roll-on/roll-off and break bulk cargoes. Due to the diverse climates Fesco's Dalreftrans refrigerated container fleet endures, reefers are equipped with a two-tiered alarms system, which ensures no interruption in the temperature during transit, according to the Dalreftrans website (www.dalreftrans.ru).

The Magnum provides maximum cooling capacity across all temperature ranges, adjustable fresh air exchange and electric defrosting and heating. "We are proud to offer the most technologically-advanced equipment - like Magnum - to our customers, and we monitor all aspects of our shipments to ensure a top-quality product is delivered," concluded Proskuryakov.