On 14 – 18 July 2025, the IKI Greener Reefers in international maritime transport project convened the training and capacity development in Durban, South Africa. The training brought together representatives from Carrier Transicold Container Refrigeration, the West Coast College, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy, as well as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

Highlights
The training took place at the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. After opening remarks from the Director of the Academy, Carrier Transicold delivered the first training session for the duration of Day 1. The training focused on the theoretical and practical operations and service for the Carrier Refrigerated Container unit utilizing refrigerant-grade Carbon Dioxide (R744).

The training sessions involved a balance between theoretical lessons and practical tasks. The target group of the trainings were aimed at trainers in technical and vocational training centres across the coastal provinces. The purpose of the training was to capacitate the trainers on the new technology to build a pool of competent instructors who can then effectively deliver the training to the technicians, on the new climate-friendly technologies.

The training was well received by the trainers. They expressed their gratitude for being upskilled in the new low emission technology options of the future and are looking very much forward to taking what they have learned and being knowledge multipliers in their areas of responsibility.  

Looking ahead, the training for technicians is scheduled to take place in Durban from 18 – 22 August 2025 and 13 – 17 October 2025. The training to take place in the Western Cape is planned for February 2026.

The aim of the Greener Reefers project is to support the implementation of international agreements, first and foremost the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which regulates the phase-down of HFCs. The project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). The implementing organization is the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and the target countries are Costa Rica and South Africa. The National Ozone Unit (NOU) of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, & the Environment (DFFE) is the GIZ’s implementing partner in South Africa.

For more information:

Greener Reefers in international maritime transport | Internationale Klimaschutzinitiative (IKI)

Urgent call for climate-friendly refrigeration in maritime freight – Cold Link Africa