News

Cool Carriers Ltd (Cool Carriers or the Company) notes recent publications in online media outlets registered in Ukraine and the United Kingdom, making factually incorrect, grossly misleading, defamatory and sickening allegations about Cool Carriers, its CEO and senior managers.

The Company was not notified about the publications by the media outlets and was not offered an opportunity to respond or comment to the allegations contained in the articles.

Cool Carriers has engaged external counsel with intention to take legal action against the outlets Fakty.ua, registered in Ukraine, and EU Today, registered at a UK address.

Without repeating the false allegations, Cool Carriers hereby makes the following statements:

1. Cool Carriers has no involvement in drug trafficking and strongly condemns drug usage and distribution. It is not under investigation in any of the reported jurisdictions and has not been approached by the investigating authorities. Cool Carriers’ business is shipping fruits to stock thousands of supermarkets in Europe, United States, Japan and elsewhere in the world with fresh produce. As the world’s largest operator of reefer ships, Cool Carriers plays a vital role in global food security.

2. Cool Carriers does not own or manage any of the vessels mentioned in the articles. The Company is the commercial operator of the vessels and has no involvement in the day-to-day operations of these vessels. Operational control, including hiring and managing crews, loading and unloading, rests entirely with the third-party owners, decisions in which Cool Carriers plays no role.

3. It is true that South American cartels are actively working to infiltrate or gain access to commercial ships loading at local ports using them as mules for drug trafficking. The gangs are seeking and finding weak spots to penetrate by bribing, threatening and hurting people involved in the industry, relocating from one jurisdiction and port of embarkation to another to minimise exposure to security.

This is a widely reported and documented problem for the entire maritime shipping industry. The commercial shipping companies are not equipped to fight with drug trafficking gangs. They are not trained in this area, do not carry weapons, receive intelligence reports or operate enforcement units. This is the job of national and international law enforcement agencies.

Vessels operated by Cool Carriers, alongside its peers, cooperate with designated authorities and fully comply with security procedures to avoid contraband penetration, going above and beyond the standard requirements.

4. Cool Carriers is an international maritime shipping group headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus. It is not a Russian company or business.

5. Mikhail Ganyushin, the CEO of the Company, permanently resides in Cyprus and does not own or operate any business in Russia. He has no direct or indirect business links with the Russian individuals mentioned in the Fakty.ua and EU Today articles, or with any Russian oligarchs.
6. No senior managers, including Mikhail Ganyushin, Group Managing Director Maxim Nazimok, or any other employees of Cool Carriers have been sanctioned by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom or worked at designated companies.
7. Cool Carriers strictly adheres to international sanctions regime and does not deal or trade with sanctioned companies or individuals.

Cool Carriers has strong reasons to believe that the attack in the media by biased, inadequately researched and factually incorrect allegations has been arranged or inspired by a hostile third party, driven by malicious intent.

The company will not rest until its true record and good reputation are fully restored.

Cool Carriers, the world’s largest operator of specialized reefer vessels, today announces the operational results of its Chilean subsidiary for the 2025/26 Summer season, from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Despite a sharp downturn in demand for imported fruits in the United States, Cool Carriers Chile has again demonstrated strong results, moving a total of 260,000 pallets of cherries, blueberries, grapes, and stone fruit to the United States.

Cool Carriers Chile operates maritime shipping routes out of the Chilean ports of Coquimbo and Valparaiso, delivering cargo to the ports of discharge in Gloucester, NJ, on the US East Coast, and Los Angeles, CA, on the West Coast.

In the 2025/26 Summer season, Cool Carriers Chile moved 178,000 pallets to Gloucester across 24 port calls with an average transit time of 12 days. This represents a market share of 46.5% (total exports from Chile to the destination over the period, including both reefer and container vessels), a growth of 11% compared with the 2024/25 Summer Season.

Furthermore, Cool Carriers moved  82,000 pallets to Los Angeles across 12 port calls with an average transit time of 12 days, achieving a record market share of 71.3%.

Ricardo Barckhahn, General Manager of Cool Carriers Chile, commented on the operational results: “Our performance over the Summer Season is a testament to the strength of Cool Carriers’ operating model. We achieved strong results despite an overall decline in shipping demand from the Chilean market to Los Angeles of around 25%, and a decline in demand to Gloucester of approximately 17%. This was driven by lower fruit demand, as well as stricter quality and condition requirements.”

He added: “Our specialised offering of dedicated services for fresh fruit and direct routes to its main markets has allowed the company to adapt to the fluctuating market demands that require short transit times and high standards of cold chain control”. 

M/V Ponga completed its inaugural call at TPV, launching its first commercial voyage with fresh Chilean fruit bound for Gloucester, U.S.

Recently delivered by Japan, Ponga brings next-generation efficiency with four cranes, 125 reefer container capacity, and space for 5,000 HC pallets.

This first call marks the beginning of its service and reinforces our commitment to the growth and global reach of the Chilean fruit industry.

This week, Shikoku Shipyard in Japan delivered the COOL ELEGANCE to Cool Carriers, an 880,000 cubic foot reefer vessel that expands and strengthens our fleet. This is the fifth vessel in the “Cool E” series, designed to maximize operational efficiency and offer the largest refrigerated cargo capacity on the market. The COOL ELEGANCE features 25,000 m3 of climate-controlled holds and deck space for approximately 300 reefer containers. Measuring 189.90 m in length and 30.70 m in beam, it is equipped with five 40-ton cranes and powered by a seven-cylinder MAN-B&W 7G60ME-C9 engine, capable of reaching 22 knots. The “Cool E” series is an optimized evolution of the previous 650,000 cubic foot “Cool S” with improvements in capacity, performance, and efficiency. Its distinctive, unconventional bow design allows for reduced fuel consumption and maintenance of speed in adverse weather conditions. Following delivery in Takamatsu, the COOL ELEGANCE sailed for China, where it then joined the trade routes connecting South Africa and the west coast of South America with Northern Europe ports, primarily transporting perishable goods such as fruits and seafood.

Maxim will assume a wide range of responsibilities, including finance, legal, operational, and commercial matters. He will also be charged with transformation of the Group’s business processes and organisational structure to support the rapid expansion of the business in recent years.

Prior to joining Cool Carriers, Mr. Nazimok served as Chief Financial Officer of Solidcore Resources plc, a large publicly listed mining company, since 2017, where he oversaw several largest acquisitions and corporate finance deals, as well as led the company’s major business restructuring in response to the recent geopolitical challenges.  Maxim started his career in PricewaterhouseCoopers, the global accounting and auditing firm. He then worked in various finance roles at large privately-owned commercial banks, MDM Bank and Nomos Bank.

Mr. Nazimok holds a BA degree in Economics from St. Petersburg State University and is a Fellow member of ACCA. In 2016, Maxim graduated with distinction from the Executive MBA-Global Programme at London Business School (UK) and Columbia Business School (US).

“We welcome Maxim Nazimok to Cool Carriers team. His experience in large complex businesses and track record of successful business transformation, as well as his broad financial background will help us to take the company to a new level”, commented Mikhail Ganyushin, CEO of Cool Carriers.

In an impressive expansion of their fleet, Cool Carriers, Mitsui&Co., and Nissen have proudly announced the launch of the “Cool Emerald,” the largest reefer vessel ever constructed, boasting a remarkable capacity of 904,950 cubic feet. This groundbreaking ship represents the fourth addition to their innovative series of reefer ships, dedicated to transforming maritime perishable goods transportation.

The launch event, which took place at Takamatsu, Shikoku Shipyard was attended by executives from all three companies and marked by celebrations highlighting the vessel’s cutting-edge features and environmental efficiencies. The “Cool Emerald” is tailored to meet the growing demands of global trade, offering unparalleled cold storage capabilities and state-of-the-art navigation technologies.

Looking forward, the partnership anticipates the completion of a fifth vessel in this series by December, further solidifying their leadership in the refrigerated cargo sector. This series of vessels underscores the commitment of Cool Carriers, Mitsui&Co., and Nissen to innovation, sustainability, and enhancing their service offerings in the global shipping industry.

On February 21st, a significant event marked a new chapter in the history of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Cool Carriers, in partnership with Contecon Terminal, signed a contract for exclusive use of state-of-the-art cold store, symbolically laying the first stone in a ceremony that heralded a new era of Cool Carriers service from Ecuador.
The cold store, aptly named the “Guayaquil Banana Gateway,” is set to be constructed at the prime location ni front of quay #5, replacing the old dry facility. This development signifies a commitment of Cool Carriers to providing exceptional service to clients and exporters, as
stated by Nikolay Pavlyuchenko, the General Manager of UNIREEFER, representing Cool Carriers in Ecuador.
Pavlyuchenko emphasized the benefits of this new venture, stating, “In a rapidly changing world, we must embrace challenges. This cold store is a testament to our commitment to our clients and exporters. Firstly, exporters will enjoy a cost-effective service with no variable or additional costs. The logistics will be seamless, and operations will no longer be hindered by climate or any other external factors that typically delay inland and port processes. The fruit will receive the best possible treatment.”
He further explained, “Once the banana cartons arrive at the terminal, we take over immediately at the gate of the cold store, ensuring a gentle and swift delivery to our customers at destination, thanks to our direct transit. The simple formula we adhere to is better fruit quality for less cost. Our main value and priority lie in the personal relationships we foster and the quality we deliver to our clients, transcending mere box transportation.”
Cold storage facilities near banana farms offer a significant advantage to shippers by allowing them to store their
produce at optimal temperatures. This strategic placement dramatically reduces postharvest losses, ensuring the quality of the crop.
Introducing a cold storage facility in the harbour will streamline the process of consolidating bananas transported from the packing stations in the farms. This setup allows the fruit to be stored in cold storage days before the vessels’ arrival. Consequently, the ship can start loading the pre-stored fruit immediately upon arrival.
This efficient system enables liners to schedule berthing and loading operations better, maintain a regular schedule in the complex logistics chain. The result is a reduction in costs and an optimization of returns.
“Ecuador is upgrading to the standards of other banana exporting countries once the cold storage is completed,” said Nikolay Pavlyuchenko, highlighting the global trend of utilizing cold storage for handling bananas and other fruits. He cited the port of Davao in the Philippines, where Cool Carriers regularly load, and all the major banana exporters have their cold storage facilities. Some of these facilities have a capacity of around 6,500 square meters.
In conclusion, the advent of cold storage facilities marks a significant step forward in enhancing the efficiency and profitability of banana exports, aligning with global standards and practices.
The consolidation of bananas ni cold storage facilities optimizes the preservation and transport process.
Reefer logistics, a critical component in transporting perishable goods, have remained relatively unchanged for decades. However, the advent of cold storage facilities and the extensive new building program for reefer ships signal a positive shift in the industry. This development is a testament to Cool Carriers’ commitment to leading the way ni reefer operations.
Pavlvuchenko concluded:” UNIREEFER/Cool Carriers expresses gratitude towards its Ecuador partner, Contecon Terminal. Their shared vision of the industry and customer-oriented philosophy have been instrumental in driving these advancements. This collaborative effort underscores the importance of partnerships in enhancing industry
standards and practices”

On February 4, at the Terminal Puerto Coquimbo (TPC), a loading of 5,200 fruit pallets will be carried out by ships belonging to the USWC service of Cool Carriers — CS Stratos.

Once the shipping of Chilean fruits to Port of Coquimbo is done, the products will be sent to the Port of Valparaíso — specifically the Terminal Pacífico Sur Valparaíso (TPS). The estimated time of arrival (ETA) to Valparaíso is 8 am, on February 5.

After the operations are finished, in the concessionaire of the Port of Buenos Aires, the reefer ships will set a course towards Yusen Terminals LLC, located in Los Angeles, the United States. There, the goods will be unloaded on February 17.

CS Stratos was built in 2007. Today, it operates under the flag of Singapore. The vessel weights 13,052 tons, it is 162 meters in length and 26 meters in width. It also has a draft of 7 meters.

Moreover, the reefer vessel became a part of Cool Carriers fleet in August 2020, together with CS Best and CS Service. They transport up to 300 containers and 7,500 pallets.