Maersk steps up cold chain support as Kenya’s avocado exporters prepare for peak season
Logistics firm rolls out training and boosts vessel capacity after Kenya lost top export spot to Morocco.
KENYA – Maersk Kenya has announced new measures to support avocado exporters as the country prepares for the peak shipping season.
Avocado exports remain a key source of foreign exchange for Kenya and support thousands of farmers, packhouse workers, and logistics providers. As demand grows in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, exporters face pressure to deliver fruit in good condition and on time.
Maersk has started on site technical training at packhouses across major growing areas. The sessions focus on reefer container handling and cold chain process management. Teams show exporters how to maintain the right temperature from loading to delivery.
The company has also rolled out online refresher courses. These cover customs processes, required documents, timelines, routing options, and transit times. Exporters can use this information to plan shipments and avoid delays.
“At Maersk, we recognise that our customers’ success is our success,” said Tito Okuku, Managing Director of Maersk East Africa. “The avocado season is a critical time for Kenyan exporters, and we are committed to providing not just transport services, but full support so our customers can meet global demand for Kenyan avocados.”
Capacity and schedule focus
Maersk has positioned empty reefer containers in key export zones to ensure quick access during peak weeks. The company has also prioritised vessels on the Kenya to Europe route and added more containers to handle higher volumes.
Okuku said schedule reliability remains central to the company’s service. “We stay present and prepared so every shipment receives the attention it deserves,” he said.
The move comes days after reports that Morocco overtook Kenya as Africa’s top avocado exporter in 2025, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization Tropical Fruits Market Review. Morocco increased exports by about 90 percent to 141,000 tons, while Kenya’s volumes fell by 19 percent to an estimated 105,164 tons.
The report linked Kenya’s drop to longer transit times after security concerns near the Suez Canal forced vessels to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope. The longer journeys affected fruit shelf life in the European Union, Kenya’s main market.
In late 2025, the Agriculture and Food Authority suspended some sea shipments to protect export standards and allowed selected consignments by air. Air freight rates in some cases rose to about US$4 per kilogram from about US$2 per kilogram, which cut into exporter margins.
Maersk said its latest steps aim to restore confidence and support a smooth peak season for Kenyan growers.
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