Lerwick-based Shetland Transport has taken delivery of its first Carrier Transicold Vector™ 1550 trailer refrigeration units. They will be used for temperature-controlled deliveries to and from the Shetland Isles, located 110 miles north of mainland Scotland. Carrier Transicold helps improve global transport and shipping temperature control with a complete line of equipment for refrigerated trucks, trailers and containers, and is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

Each of the nine Vector 1550 units have been mounted to tri-axle reefers manufactured by Gray & Adams and join a fleet of 30 trucks and 96 trailers. They will be predominantly used to transport farmed salmon, mussels and white fish from Shetland to destinations across the UK and mainland Europe, returning to the islands with a range of fresh, chilled and frozen produce.

By specifying the Vector 1550 systems, Shetland Transport will benefit from Carrier’s patented E-Drive™all-electric technology, which removes a large number of serviceable parts from the refrigeration cycle, substantially reducing maintenance and downtime compared with conventional belt-driven systems. It also allows for extremely precise temperature control of +/- 0.3 degrees Celsius.

“We’ve chosen Carrier units on a number of our trailers in the past, and they’ve always proven to be incredibly durable and reliable, regardless of the long hours our vehicles spend on the road. We might be one of the remotest hauliers in the UK, but it’s just as important for us to run the latest specification equipment and to keep up-to-speed with legislation. These new trailers and fridges represent significant investment in the fleet,” said Hamish Balfour, managing director, Shetland Transport.

With a demanding workload, Shetland Transport’s distinctive blue, red and white fleet is on the road seven days a week and Balfour is counting on the units’ longevity to provide the service life he desires.

“We will aim to keep these trailers and fridges in service for at least the next 15 years, if not a little longer. After about 10 years of frontline service handling long-distance work, we can switch them over to short-haul distribution to and from our depots in Aberdeen and Glasgow. This ensures we get the most out of every asset in the fleet,” said Balfour.

The Vector 1550 unit builds on the success of the Vector 1850 system – previously specified by Shetland Transport – to combine a reduced capacity of 14,800 watts with low fuel consumption. This helps to reduce the total cost of ownership whilst also cutting overall carbon impact by up to 35 per cent compared to conventional systems. At 739kg, it is also one of the lightest trailer refrigeration units on the market.

For more information on the Vector 1550 and other products and services from Carrier Transicold, visit www.transicold.carrier.com or www.coolbycarrier.com.