Cold Chain Federation member Lineage Logistics is taking its first step into engineless refrigerated transport within the UK, with the receipt of two new Cold Chain Federation member Carrier Transicold ICELAND units in a move to reduce its carbon footprint and lower fleet emissions.

Both ICELAND units are mounted to new 26-tonne Mercedes-Benz Actros rigid trucks and will be monitored by Lineage to measure the positive impact that Carrier Transicold’s engineless technology will have on its fleet in London, where both vehicles will be in operation. If successful, Lineage plans to fit the technology to additional trucks in its fleet.

Each ICELAND unit is driven by Carrier Transicold’s ECO-DRIVE module, which uses hydro-electric power generated by the truck’s ultra-clean Euro VI engine. This removes the need for a separate diesel engine, which helps to cut emissions, improve fuel efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.

“We’ve come to expect exceptional performance from the Carrier Transicold units already in our fleet, so when we started looking at engineless refrigeration for our London operations, Carrier was the obvious choice,” said Will Maycock, head of Transport, Lineage. “Taking the necessary steps to reduce our carbon footprint is important to us as a business, and from what we’ve seen Carrier’s engineless solution will certainly help us achieve this.”

Branded under Lineage’s food sales division, Yearsley Food Sales, the vehicles will be delivering to major food service, wholesale and end user customers across central London. With each Carrier Transicold unit offering 100% refrigeration capacity at the truck’s idle speed, as well as rapid temperature pull-down capability and PIEK-compliant noise-level ratings, they are ideally suited to the company’s intensive, multi-drop urban delivery routes.

“With the nature of the work these vehicles will be completing, the pull-down of the internal temperature post-delivery is massively important. The ICELAND units meet our requirements and will deliver the perfect blend of power and efficiency,” Maycock adds.

Operating out of Lineage’s Gillingham and Peterborough depots, the new vehicles will travel approximately 90,000 kilometres a year and will be on the road six days a week.

Lineage’s expertise in end-to-end logistical solutions, real estate network, and use of technology combine to promote food safety, increase distribution efficiency, advance sustainability, lessen environmental impact, and minimise supply chain waste. It has a 500-strong commercial vehicle fleet including both rigid trucks and artics operating with refrigerated trailers. It offers customers a next-day delivery service, seven days a week.