The Maersk Group's APM Terminals has opened a new refrigerated container depot in the center of a Peruvian agricultural region. 

The new facility in the Sullana, Piura, is aimed at boosting logistical efficiency for local produce exporters.

The company also said the move was part of the company's strategy to decentralize the logistical infrastructure in the Andean country.

The site is equipped with electric sockets for the refrigerated containers and its storage capacity can be increased simply by amplifying the reach of the cranes.

Sullana is a major producer of both Red Globe and seedless table grapes, bananas and mangoes. Until now growers from Piura as well as nearby Lambayeque and La Libertad have had to transport their produce to the port of Paita.

"However, from now on all the exporters in the area will be able to make use of reefers from Sullana, and not only will they be closer to the collection point but they will also avoid the congestion which is more and more common in Paita," APM Terminals Inland Services representative Alonso Garaycochea said.

The first company to make use of the new facility will be table grape and banana grower Agrícola San José, which gave some of its land for the construction of the depot.

"The team at Agrícola San José had experience in working in other countries with similar models and it is for that reason that we quickly reached an agreement. The implementation period has been roughly 100 days - the faster of all our installations," Garaycochea said.

Operations began at the site on Oct. 12. Key benefits for exporters include reduced times and costs involved with shipping their produce.

"This is the fifth decentralized container depot that we are operating and in every case we have provide different kinds of benefits related to operations, efficiency and costs to our various clients," Garaycochea said.

"Currently we operate container depots in Villa el Salvador, Pisco, Chao, Trujillo, and now Sullana. 

"Finally, we believe that in logistics we must be constantly looking to innovate and improve. We believe that you have to break with the status quo, design and implement new solutions."

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