The internal temperature of some frozen meat had risen to 12 degrees Celsius by morning.
ST. EUSTATIUS--A refrigerated container holding St. Eustatius’ weekly supply of frozen goods defrosted overnight last Wednesday at the island’s port, forcing much of the entire shipment to be discarded.
According to the island government, the two refrigerated containers that came off the late-arriving weekly cargo vessel were connected to electricity at the port, but one did not receive any power, despite attempts at two different locations.
A test of that container, which held frozen goods, later revealed that it had internal electrical faults, the government said, emphasising that the issue did not lie with the port’s infrastructure.
The other container, which held chilled goods, was connected “near the generator house” and offloaded on Thursday morning without incident, the government said.
This newspaper understands that health inspectors checked the frozen goods and determined that some could still be salvaged. However, the government did not disclose how much of the shipment had to be thrown away.
The government placed the blame on the shipping agent for the loss, saying the company’s officials had planned to offload the late-arriving containers the following morning and maintained this decision even after being informed of the unpowered container.
“This situation was promptly communicated to all relevant parties, including the cargo agent. While customs (douane) officials and government harbour personnel indicated their willingness to facilitate clearance outside regular hours, the agent confirmed that offloading would proceed the next morning,” the government said in a press release last Friday, emphasising that offloading had not been restricted or delayed by government workers at any point.
The government added: “Despite prior notification of the electrical faults, it was understood that the container could still hold overnight.”
The government said it understands the frustration of affected businesses and sympathises with them.
“Any disruption to the island’s food supply chain is a serious concern,” it was stated in the press release. “However, government’s harbour personnel acted swiftly, responsibly and within their mandate throughout the incident. The decision to delay offloading did not rest with the government.”
A major upgrade to the port’s infrastructure is expected to start before the end of the year, including the hardening of the container yard and the installation of fire protection systems and five additional electrical connections for refrigerated containers.
