Global Fresh Foods (GFF), San Francisco, successfully ocean freighted 40,000 pounds of fresh salmon from Lirquen, Bio-Bio, Chile, to the Port of Long Beach, Calif., without the use of polystyrene or ice. Instead, GFF employed its patented, controlled atmosphere fuel cell-based technology to keep fish fresh for the entire length of its journey.

This event is said to mark the first time that a full 40-foot container of non-frozen salmon has been shipped to the United States via ocean freight.

“The industry now has a viable alternative to expensive and environmentally harmful air freight for transporting fresh seafood,” says Mark Barnekow, chief executive officer. “With our technology, seafood distributors can now assure their retail customers they will have an uninterrupted supply of fresh seafood with far less impact on the environment.”

“We have a very close partnership with Global Fresh Foods and we will continue to work together to advance this technology, reduce our impact on the environment and eliminate the need for polystyrene in the seafood supply chain,” says Fernando Frederic, chief executive officer of Lusamerica Fish, the Morgan Hill, Calif.-based distributor working with GFF.

In addition to extending the shelf life of fresh salmon, the GFF technology offers the added advantage of inventorying capabilities for its partners. Shipments can be stored upon arrival, allowing suppliers and distributors to improve forecasting and deliver steady and consistent supply on a just-in-time basis.