The container ship Saltoro, operated by Maersk, has finally arrived at Nansha Port, China, 28 days late after a breakdown in the Pacific.
Part of the Cherry Express service, the vessel was carrying 1,353 containers of cherries from Chile to China for the Lunar New Year celebrations.
Despite maintaining cold chain integrity, Antonio Walker, president of Chile’s National Agriculture Association, inspected the cargo and reported the fruit had arrived in poor condition.
Walker warned that China might reject the shipment. Maersk and Chinese Customs are currently discussing the next steps.
Víctor Catán, president of Fedefruta, estimated losses could exceed $100 million (€92 million), heavily impacting small farmers who rely on this income.
Maersk Saltoro
According to Claudio Aguilar, CEO of RSK, as of February 18, 2025, no containers had been released. Only 100+ containers were unloaded, with 12 under inspection.
Maersk proposed unloading the remaining 1,200+ containers in China, but Chinese Customs refused due to food safety concerns.
The main issues are potential food safety risks and limited disposal capacity, as Nansha Customs can only process 6–10 shipments per day.
The Saltoro crisis is a major setback for Chile's cherry industry. Prices in China had already dropped before the Lunar New Year due to record shipment volumes.
With new orchards still maturing, Chilean exports are expected to grow in the coming years.
"We need a deep analysis to learn from this. The market handled 83 million boxes well, but 115 million was too much," Walker said.
While diversification has been discussed, China’s high prices have kept exporters focused on this market.
However, after this season, efforts to open new markets will intensify, with India, the Middle East, and North Africa as potential destinations.
Read full article: Fruitnet
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