Antwerp, Belgium: The challenges of labour availability and pressures on energy prices dominated discussion at the Global Cold Chain Association’s first face-to-face event in Europe since the start of the pandemic.
Attending the event in Belgium, Shane Brennan, chief executive, Cold Chain Federation, said: “These discussions with European colleagues have been particularly valuable in examining how our neighbours are responding to our common challenges, with energy price pressures and labour challenges impacting cold chain operations throughout Europe.
“The pride we can feel in the UK’s achievements in helping keep the nation fed throughout the pandemic is reflected across Europe, and as we consider the cold chain’s place in a changed post-pandemic world we can work together to harness the new recognition of the cold chain’s importance and value to our nations.
“I look forward to sharing the best insights from these discussions over the coming months through the Cold Chain Federation’s events programme which features a variety of virtual and in-person events for 2022,” Brennan said.
Lineage Logistics co-founder Adam Forste described the commercial and regulatory drivers associated with the move to net zero for cold storage and distribution and the net-zero ambition that will shape the UK cold chain industry over the coming decades.
The session included a field trip to the Luik Natie Group site at the Port of Antwerp, (pictured above) which sources 80% of its power from onsite wind and solar generation backed up by a Tesla Mega Pack battery. The remaining 20% of the site’s power needs are met by buying energy on a renewable-only tariff.
