Sea transport of cut flowers from Kenya will take off in the coming years. Major players like Maersk and Kuehne+Nagel have been engaging in it for some time. "Ten years from now, 30-50% of Kenya's flowers will travel by ship."
Flower growers in Kenya face challenges in terms of airfreight capacity and the high cost of airfreight. Moreover, their customers – especially retailers – are calling for alternative modes of transport. As a result, the eyes of Kenya's flower sector are on sea transport. One of the parties responding to this is Maersk. The shipping company made a striking appearance at the IFTF in Vijfhuizen, where a Maersk container stood in front of the exhibition building.
At the Maersk stand on the exhibition floor, Head of Warehouse & Distribution and Cold Chain Logistics - East Africa Gerit Laubscher told the IFTF that a high percentage of international trade goes through Maersk's transportation network. In Kenya, Maersk already transports 90% of avocados out of the country by boat. "We are a major player in this area, and we have decided to offer the country's flower industry a sustainable solution as well", explained Laubscher.
