Spain Unlocks New Opportunities This Reefer Season

Located at the heart of Europe’s refrigerated logistics network, Spain continues to expand its reach, connecting with key global markets like Canada, the United States, and both coasts of South America. Leading these efforts is Jorge Gelabert, ZIM Spain Sales Manager, who brings 27 years of experience managing both dry and reefer cargo and a deep understanding of the Spanish market.

With main offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and additional ones in Vigo, Seville and Bilboa, Jorge and the ZIM Spain team ensure full national coverage, keeping Spain well-connected to the global market.

Spain's Citrus Season Continues to Drive Reefer Growth

When it comes to reefer exports, citrus remains Spain’s top commodity. From mandarins, oranges, and lemons to cassis, citrus dominates reefer volumes, with the main export season running from mid-October to the end of May, primarily covering the Valencia to Halifax leg with the ZIM Container Atlantic Service (ZCA).

“Citrus is our most important export. While other markets are only just emerging in this area, Spanish citrus stands not only for its quality, but for the way we protect the fruit” Jorge explains.

Spain’s approach to the fumigation process and compliance with health protocols, particularly aligned with the European Union’s standards, gives Spanish citrus a competitive edge. This more complex and careful process benefits the end consumer with better-protected fruits and long-lasting quality on supermarket shelves around the world.

North America Focus: Fruit to Canada, Pharma to the US

Spain is also strengthening its reefer presence in Canada, especially with the grapefruit season kicking off this July. But beyond produce and fruit, the country is mostly concentrating efforts in the pharmaceutical reefer segment to the US, a promising year-round commodity. This commodity is supported by the premium ZIMonitor service, known for its strict temperature control and reliability, and crucial for this type of high-value cargo.

“Pharma is still a new area for us in Spain, but we are putting efforts into growing this service with new possibilities through the ZIM Container Atlantic Service (ZCA) to the US” Jorge adds.

South America West Coast: Importing Flavor and Opportunity

While Spain continues to focus on exports, reefer import volumes are also booming, especially from South America’s West Coast.

“The most significant is seafood, which is a year-round product. Spain is a top consumer, and volumes are already coming in via Valencia, with plans to expand to Vigo, a main destination for this product.”

Other key commodities include pineapples and bananas, which are gaining popularity among Spanish importers. But onions, in particular, with a major season between July and September from West Coast South America are becoming a vital opportunity for Spain.

South America East Coast: Sweet Stone Fruit Exports

Another key focus area for Spain is the South America East Coast, where the stone fruit season, particularly apricots and plums, offers significant export potential.

“We are focusing on exports to Brazil between July to August, and we’re ready to act quickly and do everything we can to maintain schedule reliability and deliver freshness,” Jorge says.

Making Reefer Services Better with Every Season

The past year was clearly a fruitful one for Spain’s reefer segment, with a noticeable year-over-year growth. But as Jorge puts it, “we’re not stopping here.”

With a strategy that is deeply customer-centric, ZIM’s dedicated approach to solving challenges, improving scheduling, and ensuring reliability is clear. To further strengthen operations this upcoming peak season, a new customer service representative in Spain will be overseeing everything from bookings to container stuffing.

“This year, we are also introducing a Customer Feedback Program. After talking with key exporters and consignees, we realized the best way to grow is to listen, to truly understand how the season went from their perspective.” Jorge says.

Through these engagements with customers, the team can take all the necessary actions to make next season the best one yet and improve every aspect of the customer’s experience.

“Our focus is on long-term relationships,” Jorge adds. “Whether it’s fruit or pharma, citrus or seafood, we’re here to deliver quality, every time.”