INNOVATION
Floating reefer barges keep food cold when ports are full
Cold-chain platforms across the floating economy store and process perishables right on the water.
The “Hannah” Seafood Platform. Image by Northline Seafoods.
Ports get crowded and power is costly. Floating reefer barges add cold storage and handling space offshore. These platforms help cut spoilage, smooth peak seasons, and speed export loads.
Real deployments show how the model works:
All-in-one freezer barge enters service in Alaska. Northline Seafoods finished the 400-by-100-foot Hannah in 2024. The barge buys, freezes, stores, and ships salmon from Bristol Bay, creating a full cold chain at sea. It was built to hold large volumes and reduce extra trips to shore.
Operational stress test highlights resilience and fixes. In July 2024, an electrical fire cut one of Hannah’s spiral freezers. The team kept running at reduced capacity while repairs moved ahead, showing how floating plants manage risk and keep product moving.
Season two: higher volumes and lower unit costs. By mid-2025, Northline said the floating processor was on track to beat 2024’s output. Leaders pointed to lower handling costs and big holding capacity as reasons the model scales.
New entrant sends a reefer-processing barge to Southeast Alaska. Circle Seafoods deployed “Circle I,” a floating processor with cold storage tanks and daily capacity built for peak salmon runs. The unit buys and processes at sea, then moves product efficiently to shore hubs.
Northline Seafoods Processing Vessel Interior. Photo by Drew Cherry.
That’s not all: ports across North America report a cold-chain boom, with operators adding capacity to handle more reefer cargo during peak seasons. Floating units can complement land sites by providing flexible overflow near anchorages and quay lines.
—TFI
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