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72+ Reefer Containers in under 48 hours

Moving more than 72 refrigerated containers from River Terminal Wielsbeke to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in less than 48 hours through a coordinated barge, road and terminal operation.

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72+ reefer containers

Loaded and consolidated for export

Under 48 hours

From arrival to export-ready

5 partners in sync

One coordinated schedule, start to finish

1 barge operation

Entire shipment consolidated into one run

Executive Summary

Moving 72+ reefers under a tight deadline

When more than 72 reefer containers had to be loaded, consolidated and exported within 48 hours, Gosselin coordinated a multimodal logistics solution combining inland waterways, road transport and terminal operations. The result was a reliable, tightly planned export flow that safeguarded the cold chain from origin to vessel.

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The Challenge

Protecting the cold chain against the clock

Exporting more than 72 reefer containers within a narrow time window required flawless coordination. Containers had to arrive at River Terminal Wielsbeke, be transported to Agristo for immediate loading, returned to the terminal, and delivered to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in time for export.

With refrigerated cargo, timing is critical. Any delay increases the risk of interrupting the cold chain, making planning and operational control essential.

One coordinated multimodal export flow

Gosselin designed and coordinated an integrated multimodal transport solution together with Agristo, MSC, Contargo and Remant.

Reefer containers arrived by barge at River Terminal Wielsbeke before being transported by truck for immediate loading at Agristo. Once loaded, they were returned to the terminal, consolidated onto the same barge and shipped to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges within a dedicated discharge window.

By consolidating the entire shipment into a single barge operation, all logistics partners worked within one coordinated schedule, reducing operational complexity and ensuring a smooth transition between inland transport, terminal handling and export.

The Impact

72+ reefers export-ready in under 48 hours

The integrated approach enabled more than 72 reefer containers to be processed and prepared for export in less than 48 hours without compromising the cold chain.

Consolidating the shipment into a single barge operation simplified coordination, eliminated the need for multiple terminal calls and provided greater planning certainty for both the shipping line and terminal operations.

The project demonstrates how multimodal logistics, combined with precise planning and close collaboration, can efficiently manage complex refrigerated export flows while maintaining service reliability.

Reliable logistics for time-critical reefer cargo

This project highlights the value of integrated multimodal logistics for time-sensitive refrigerated cargo. By combining inland waterways, road transport and coordinated terminal operations, Gosselin delivered a reliable, efficient and scalable export solution for one of its largest reefer movements.